Anything Else
Directors: Woody Allen
Producers: Letty Aronson
Writers: Woody Allen
Features: n/a
Characters:
Jerry Falk...Jason Biggs
Amanda...Christina Ricci
David Dobel...Woody Allen
Harvey...Danny DeVito
Paula...Stockard Channing
Bob Styles...Jimmy Fallon
Brook...Kadee Strickland
Diane Krall...Diane Krall
Connie...Erica Leerhsen
Genre: Comedy
Review:
Even as actors flock to be in Woody Allen films it seems that audiences are deigning not to watch them. Whether this is the dumbing down of America or simply audiences preferring younger and more 'People' magazine type faces or another factor, the fact is that audiences are diminishing for the Woody Allen type of film. Woody Allen's style has remained a wry Jewish humor set against a New York City backdrop. Last year Woody Allen made a college tour to try to spark up the younger generation to his then current film, "Hollywood Ending." He made a stop in Austin, Texas where I was able to get his autograph as he came to a special preview of his film. When I met him I told him that even when I didn't like some of his films I still liked them. He replied, "I think I know what you mean," as he proceeded to sign for every single person waiting at the theater's entrance. That is the magic of a Woody Allen movie. When he makes a questionable film there are still things in it to keep an audience engaged so the worst that may be said is that at least it was interesting. His films can captivate because they are about the simple things in life like love and loneliness, mixed with the simple trials and tribulations of being human. Perhaps as a nod to the modern audience with its' taste for youth, Woody Allen has Jason Biggs("American Wedding") starring as a Woody Allenish character with Christina Ricci("Pumpkin") in his new film which he wrote and directed called "Anything Else." Despite the younger actors, this film remains a Woody Allen picture with Woody Allen in a smaller role and more in the background. So if you like the old style Woody Allen movies you will be happy with this one, though younger audiences may still shy away.
This movie concerns the love life of a comedy writer named Jerry Falk played by Jason Biggs. He is in a relationship with a woman named Brook(Kadee Strickland), but falls for Amanda(Christina Ricci) who is in a relationship with Jerry's friend Bob(Jimmy Fallon). Love at first sight is mutual for Jerry and Amanda. Soon they have each ditched their lovers and are living together. Things should be good, but Jerry finds that the closer Amanda gets to a committed relationship the more she backs away. Jerry's confidant is David Dobel(Woody Allen) another aspiring comedy writer albeit much older. Jerry hangs out with David and uses him as a sounding board for his career and love problems. Jerry is also seeing a psychiatrist and has a feeble agent named Harvey played by Danny DeVito. David Dobel is pure Woody, obsessing on everything from the Jewish condition to owning a gun for protection. Soon David convinces Jerry that Amanda is cheating on him and Jerry decides to find out if it is true.
In "Anything Else" there are two Woody Allens. Jason Biggs playing Jerry Falk is a young Woody while Dave Dobel is an older Woody. Dave takes on the role of a guiding angel or conscience for young Jerry. As a earlier Woody Allen would talk aloud to the audience or use a voiceover, the new, younger 'Woody' will talk to David. Old habits are hard to break and the young Woody, Jerry, will still make asides to the audience. Where the older Woody had a contortionist face to display his anguish, Jason Biggs is blank faced. He looks like a deer frozen by a car's headlights at times. Jason Biggs does not appear to be able to relax and plays his role rigidly. This hurts the comedy, allowing Woody Allen and Christina Ricci to steal the spotlight from him even though he has the bigger role.
Christina Ricci as Amanda plays her role with wide-eyed innocence though she is far from innocent. She is all about herself. She wants a relationship with none of the bad moments. She is a creature that cannot be contained. When she is with someone she will start to do things to sabotage the relationship and wind up being with someone else. She is self-destuctive with no sense of confidence in herself. Amanda is always calling herself fat and smoking cigarettes.
Physically, Christina Ricci, is fabulous. She is not the pencil thin waif that has been making the tabloid pages recently. She is a few pounds overweight, but Christina Ricci is one of the few starlets that will still look good in that condition. In some scenes Woody Allen has her wearing a very thin T-shirt with underwear. Her bosom is large and the nipples are clearly delineated by the sheerness of the T-shirt. This is the closest that Woody Allen has come to nudity in any of his pictures. In his last movie, "Hollywood Ending," he played a director with a young actress trying to seduce him wearing a black bra and panties that covered more than they hid. Woody Allen has always had a hang up with sex. He directed and starred in the amazingly sexless " "Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex, But(Were Afraid To Ask)" in 1972. Christina Ricci's T-shirt is an almost break through for an artist that made non sexy films during the free sex movement of the late sixties and seventies.
Known for his jazz soundtracks, Woody Allen has Billie Holliday songs in his opening credits and in other parts of the film. He has Jerry and Amanda discussing their love for jazz and old vinyl record stores when they first meet. In the trailer for "Anything Else" the jazz version of a song called "The Look Of Love" sung by Diana Krall is played. In the movie Jerry and Amanda go to a nightspot where Diana Krall is performing though that song is never played in the movie.
This film shows Woody Allen's attempt to modernize for today's film goers. The saying, "that the more things change, the more things stay the same," is relevant in this movie's context. Woody Allen has come the closest he ever has to showing female nudity, yet he still can't. He has brought younger actors into the forefront of the film for today's audiences, yet the lead actor is playing the same Woody Allen character that is in most of his films. A current jazz artist performs in his film, but it is still jazz which is not widely accepted by the younger crowd.
"Anything Else" remains a traditional Woody Allen film. New faces, old story. Those that like Woody Allen movies will like this one. Those that don't, won't.
I will give this movie three out of five stars.
----Randy