Review of Sweet and Lowdown (1999) by Stuart K — 08 Oct 2008
Woody Allen creates a freeform biopic of a forgotten jazz guitarist Emmet Ray, who had a very brief success with a few records in the mid-1930's before disappearing altogether, he was considered to be maybe the best jazz guitarist in the world, maybe second only to Django Reinhardt.
He is played in the film by Sean Penn, and Emmet Ray is a coarse, boorish alcoholic. But, when he gets up to perform, he creates brilliant, beautiful music. The film also documents the loves of his life, including mute waif Hattie, (Samantha Morton, whose expressions say more than dialogue ever could) and the intellectual Blanche (Uma Thurman).
It recalls the scrapes he gets himself into and his music as well. It's a very good film, but Woody really tricked alot of people who don't know better with this one. Emmet Ray doesn't exist!! It's all a creation of Woody!! It's a film he's wanted to make 30 years ago, but couldn't get funding, but it makes for a good evening's entertainment, Penn gives one of his very best performances, and Morton steals the show without even uttering a single word.
Maybe one of Woody's best of the past 10 years... ;).
This review of Sweet and Lowdown (1999) was written by Stuart K on 08 Oct 2008.
Sweet and Lowdown has generally received positive reviews.
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