Celebrity to me wasn't a terrible film but it was disappointing and I consider it one of Woody Allen's weakest. Sweet and Lowdown however was a big return to form, let down only by the odd bit of lagging pacing, and is not just one of Allen's better films since Husbands and Wives but also in the better half of his filmography. Allen's films- apart from some of his very early stuff- are always very well made, but the handsome production design and colourful cinematography make Sweet and Lowdown a gorgeous-looking film, and Allen's directing also is nigh-on perfect. The haunting and mellow soundtrack is one of my personal favourites actually from his films and CD-release-worthy. Sweet and Lowdown also has a great and beautifully balanced script, some of it is charmingly witty in typical Allen style, but it also has a lot to say and does so in a way that intrigues and doesn't come across as self-indulgent and the dramatic scenes are among the, in my opinion, most poignant and sensitively done of any Woody Allen film since Husbands and Wives. Allen's mock-documentary contributions are fascinating and you learn a good deal about the music, artistry and Emmet Ray(which Allen delivers in a way that strongly suggests how he connected with the subject matter and what was being said), and the story itself has the ideal balance of comedy and drama, reflected in Samantha Morton's character Hattie, and has an immense charm to it. The characters, although a few of them are on the thankless side(ie. Ellie), are not likable- Hattie is an exception though, because she's the character that you relate to the most by quite some distance- but are written with realism, the relationships between them are identifiable and acted with every bit as much. Sean Penn gives a bravura performance and really embodies Emmet Ray, although Ray is as purposefully dislikeable as you can possibly get there's genuine sympathy to be had from him in his final scenes. Samantha Morton is even better and I'd go as far to say that she steals the show, she's really heart-breaking, has eyes and facial expressions that are really expressive and even when silent her eyes and face tell volumes. Uma Thurman is not used very much but she has a quite colourful character and she relishes it without being at odds with the rest of the film. All in all, after being disappointed by Celebrity, Sweet and Lowdown was a big improvement and is a wonderful film. 9/10 Bethany Cox

If you do not want to know scenes in this film, do not read any further.I watched this film because I like Woodey Allen, I like Sean Penn, and I like the music, but the entire film was swamped for me by the wonderful,charismatic performance of Hattie, played by Samantha Morton.She was absolutely delightful from start to finish.I am sure many other viewers of this movie felt the same way.Her quiet persona in this film, sold the movie.I loathed the way Sean Pean's character, virtually ignored her throughout the film, whereas another, and decent man, would have cared about her because she was dumb. I felt myself caring, I actually felt like knocking Sean Penn's ignorant character into the middle of next week, more than once.Sean Penn's character was shallow and arrogant, Hattie was quiet and loving toward Penn's character. After living with Hattie for a short while she brought him gloves for his birthday that she had remembered, however he ditched her, because this was how he liked to treat all woman.At the tail end of the film, he spots her sitting on a bench and goes over to her to say hi, he then rambles on while apologizing.He then is honestly shocked to discover that she was now married.I will leave out the ending scene, because it shows how pathetic Penn's character was.Samantha Morton, was great. She definitely stole this film, as far as I am concerned.For her performance only, I award this movie 10 points.

Sweet and Lowdown is the type of Woody Allen movie you wouldn't expect the legend to make, particularly after seeing a nasty and brutish piece like Deconstructing Harry. Yet, Allen shows his most gentle side here; by giving us two terrific and engaging characters, we are deeply engrossed in this fictional tale about a Depression-era jazz player who considers himself to be the best in the world, or at least the best next to Django Reinhardt.Emmet Ray is a fictional creation from Woody Allen's mind, but I find it fascinating how penetrating he is able to go in order to explore every facet of his character. Sean Penn is also able to bring forth the true feelings, or lack of feelings, Ray exhibits to nearly everyone he encounters. It is a great performance in a great career for Penn, and the same can be said for Samantha Morton who is brilliant as the mute Hattie who loves Emmet but is continually rejected by his lofty ideas of remaining completely detached.This film is a loose reworking of Fellini's classic film La Strada, which also tells the tale of a great artist (in this case a circus strongman) and his relationship with a mute girl who loves him unconditionally. Both films end similarly, and I think it isn't too far of a stretch to say that Allen's ending may hit even harder the emotions than Fellini. What Allen does here is gives us a very powerful and sad love story, effectively recreate the era of a time in America when resources were low but joy was high and plant a little sweetness and niceness into us for 90 minutes. The film looks great in its photography, sets and costumes and also has two enamoring performances by Penn and Morton. Whether a fan of Woody Allen or not, this is a film to see.

Woody Allen's "Sweet and Lowdown" (1999), a fictional biopic about "the world's second best jazz guitarist," Emmet Ray is sweet, funny, dramatic, filled with fantastic music and is simply terrific. "Sweet and Lowdown" reminds "Bullets over Broadway" (1994), another Allen's period movie set in the nostalgic area of great jazz and gangsters who understood and supported art and the artists, at least to the certain points. Sean Penn gave IMO his best performance as the man as talented as he was egotistic and self-centered. Creating and performing brilliantly the clear, magical, and melancholic guitar compositions, Emmett Ray (Penn) was also busy with kleptomania, a little pimping on the side, dealing with gangsters, shooting rats and watching passing trains as his favorite hobbies, and also drinking, and chasing girls. Young Samantha Morton who was only 21 and ironically never seen any Allen's movie prior to taking a role of Penn's mute girlfriend-laundress, had to do all the acting with her face, eyes, and body language and was she good. The unrequited tender and all-forgiving love has the face, and that's Samantha's face in Woody Allen's bittersweet, comical and poignant Fake documentary about a true talent which was larger than the man who possessed it.