Review of Anything Else (2003) by Stuart K — 23 Apr 2012
Woody Allen rides again, but this is actually one of his better recent films. It's a very bittersweet romantic comedy, which is what Woody is best at, after trying different kinds of comedies in recent times, (screwball, crime comedy and slapstick), but this one has a darkish vein in it's blood, but it has a winning charm.
It has young aspiring comedy writer Jerry Falk (Jason Biggs) who falls for the ditzy and ever so slightly eccentric Amanda Chase (Christina Ricci), and Falk even goes as far as dumping his current girlfriend just so he can be with Amanda.
But, he gets alot more than he bargained for in this difficult and delicate relationship, he seeks advice from psychotic school teacher David Dobel (Woody), who has been his mentor and advice for many years, but Jerry has bigger aspirations in his life.
It is a very funny film, and it does have great performances from it's young leads, (playing the roles that Woody and Diane Keaton would have played about 30 years previous), it has some of Woody's best dialogue, and some amusing cameos from the likes of Danny DeVito as Falk's hyperchondriac manager and Stockard Channing as Amanda's overbearing mother.
An underrated film this, it deserved to do better.
This review of Anything Else (2003) was written by Stuart K on 23 Apr 2012.
Anything Else has generally received mixed reviews.
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