Review of Everyone Says I Love You (1996) by David A — 21 Apr 2010

(from The Watermark 02/06/97).

A loosely plotted attempt at a musical which introduces us to a rich New York family, headed by Alda and Hawn, and examines how its members deal with love and relationships. The production numbers, which sometimes seem to appear at very awkward points in the story, are often fun. Sometimes, they're too much fun, and get to be so tongue-in-cheek that the film becomes more satirical than celebratory of the genre. Also, Allen's films are always very reality-based with improvised dialogue, and documentary-style camera work. To inject musical numbers - such organization - into his signature looseness just doesn't work. Could he have picked a more tone-deaf cast? Queer Quotient: For theater queens who love a good musical, this is not the film to run out and see. If you must, then take note of the inventive choreography and Hawn's terrific song-and-dance number near the film's end. She almost makes it all worth while.