Review of All That Jazz (1979) by Alice S — 07 Jun 2012

Clever flashback structure with Angelique on the cluttered "backstage" of Joe's life, sexy and sexual choreography (as expected from Fosse), fantastic performance by Roy Scheider (all the iterations of "It's showtime, folks!"). Really tight story overall about existential angst in life and art with well-timed exposition-while-dancing scenes: Audrey and Joe candidly discussing their failed marriage while she's rehearsing and he's relegated to her barre; Joe, choreographing a routine with his daughter, Michelle, while she fishes for information about his love life. Ann Reinking, as the new woman, is oh-so-slinky in her dance numbers.

The conclusion is much too obvious - so many numbers devoted to regret and loss, all with the faux happy Broadway veneer. It's meant to be ironic, but it becomes self-indulgent at a point. Scheider also doesn't really get any singing or dancing opportunities. He nails the drama, but I wish there could have been at one least number in which he wasn't just dancing around somebody or harmonizing with the angel-voiced Ben Vereen.