Everyone Says I Love You
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Movie Reviews of Everyone Says I Love You
Movie Review: Much Better Than Expected
Summary: 4 Stars
I think the words "Woody Allen" and "musical" associate about as well as "Louis Farrakhan" and "rabbinical student", but I'm pleasantly surprised at how good the film is. Not that Woody doesn't have his moments, but sometime you have to question his judgement (anyone remember Shadows And Fog?) One thing about him that I do admire is his desire to try anything at least once, so in retrospect his attempt at a musical is not all that unusual.One reason the film works as it does is that it simultaneously combines the ultimate inherent silliness of musicals (since most of us don't break out into song and dance while we're walking down the street) but grounds it in reality by not using people who are known for their singing, and quite honestly never will be. It's almost like Woody is saying that it's okay to break out into song and dance while you're walking down the street, but don't be surprised if you're not Gene Kelly.
The performances are all good, although some of the characters remain underdeveloped. The two standouts are Edward Norton, who shows that he can carry himself quite competently in his performance of "Just You, Just Me", and Tim Roth who is just good in everything he does (Tim Roth in a Woody Allen movie? Am I dreaming?)
The comedy is pieced together, but generally very effective. The number in the funeral home harks back to the original Woody Allen lunacy, and I thought the performance of "Hooray for Captain Spalding" in French was one of the all time great scenes that Woody has ever concocted. Although it's not a groundbreaker, the fact that all these songs were not written specifically for this film shows that Woody has an impeccable knowledge of the old music catalogs and knows how to use them effectively.
The characters that Woody Allen plays himself are usually victims of the Woody Allen persona, meaning that while they appear to be the same on the surface, they actually go much deeper than one viewing can show. The best part of the DVD is being able to dial up those scenes that amuse you and view them by themselves for a quick pick-me-up.
Although a step down from Bullets Over Broadway or Mighty Aphrodite, Everyone Says I Love You certainly stands up to later Woody efforts like Deconstructing Harry and Celebrity.
Movie Review: Woody-stock?
Summary: 4 Stars
Another whimsical Woody Allen. This time, he trots out another of his semi plot-less epics set in and around upper-crust Manhattan where everybody's lives are perpetually under threat of not being happy enough. Joe (Allen) loved but divorced Steffi (Goldie Hawn). Steffi re-married Bob, here played by Alan Alda as another of the guys who is either stealing or has stolen love from Woody's alter ego (he nabbed Mia Farrow in "Crimes and Misdemeanors" and remained a wife-grasping presence in "Manhattan Murder Mystery"). This time, Allen's on better terms with his extended and disrupted family, which treats him much as the favorite, if befuddled Uncle. The teenage children of this privileged family conspire with their like-privileged and private-school-educated friends to find love for Allen's pathetic Joe. Quickly, they settle on Julia Roberts, who receives psychotherapy from the mother of one of these conspirators. Having an inner window into Roberts' characters' deepest desires allows Joe a romantic opportunity he can't turn down. Meanwhile, Steffi's eldest daughter, Skylar (Drew Barrymore) is engaged to the ernest and loving, if boring Holden (Ed Burns). Although they share love, Skylar can't help looking elsewhere. Meanwhile, Skylar's brother, Scott (Lukas Haas) has suddenly developed into a prudish, right-wing conservative, countering the typically left-wing attitudes of just about everybody else in the surrounding parsec of upper Manhattan. The efforts of Bob and Steffi to make themselves better liberals by rehabilitating a convicted criminal throw their family into comedic chaos when that criminal is revealed to be played by Tim Roth.Oh yeah, this is also the Woody Allen movie where everybody sings. Much of the music is clearly patterned on Allen's love for old films and musicals, and tilts to the whimsical. The plot is light, but the characters are game. Because there's little more story than the interactions and duets of the characters, the film is somewhat open-ended. Still, the film is something of a love song for Manhattan as seen through children (who keep things rolling with their romantic plotting). The film ends with Hawn and Allen dancing along the Seine - Steffi flying through the air because the laws of gravity have been suspended for her as they have been for the plot.
Movie Review: Satirical Musical
Summary: 4 Stars
I taped this movie a couple of months ago and didn't watch it right away because I read that it was a musical. I wasn't coming up with any good images of Woody Allen doing song and dance. Boredom prompted me to take a look and I liked what I saw.
The plot of the movie is standard Woody Allen; Relationships and their discontents. Whether drama or comedy, Woody does these very well and this movie is no exception. There is a particular farcical relationship that involves an ex-con that is hilarious. However, what makes this Woody Allen movie stand on its' own is the song and dance routines. The cast is not, to my knowledge, known for their musical talent but they all do a good to very good job. Check that; Woody's singing in the lone (thankfully) song he sang was dreadful. Apparently he knew this as well because he politely sang in a whisper. Three numbers in particular stood out for me. The best was a hospital scene that broke into a chorus of "Makin Whoopee". The dancing of the patients (in various states of immobility and/or injury) was a great spoof of song and dance routines. The funeral home was the scene of "It's later than you Think" preformed, if you will, as a spiritual. The final number worth citing was the Groucho ensemble dancing to "Hooray for Captain Spaulding". Someone put a LOT of time into the choreography for these numbers.
Woody has amazed me before on several occassions so I'm stingy with my "5 Star" ratings when it comes to his movies. "Everyone Says I Love You" doesn't quite reach that level but it's only a notch below.
Movie Review: Yet another out of print Woody Allen film?
Summary: 4 Stars
A cute, inventive film with a couple of great musical numbers, and some
fun characters (Tim Roth in particular is terrific), but lacking any
sense of depth.
For me, this doesn't hold up on repeated viewings nearly as well as
most Allen films. It feels more one joke on returning to it. Almost
every Allen film I've seen has only grown on me with time, with
additional layers and themes becoming evident. This was a rare
exception.
Still Allen's overall playful use of musical techniques makes this
worth at least one viewing. I'd still rather see a flawed work by a
master, than most of what's available.
And speaking of available, this joins the growing list of Allen films
(including Oscar winner Annie Hall) that have become unavailable over the past 6
months. I can only hope this means a re-release and possible blu-ray upgrade
are on the way, but given falling DVD sales and increasing battles over rights, these
films could also just disappear for a long while. So if you're a fan
you might want to stock up now.
Movie Review: Nearly Perfect.
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a Woody Allen Romantic Musical Comedy, so I expected it to be a little more serious or have darker humor. Something like Pennies from Heaven. But it was much more like the classic musical which hasn't been made in a while but should have been. The romances may seem trite and not very well explained, and they are and I think that's intentional. There are some Allen touches, like the analyst, and the shaky relationships, but everything works out. Like in Astaire and Rogers film where their down on their luck, they stick through it and it eventually works out. A musical should entertain first and foremost, and this one did that wonderfully. My favorite part is the dancing ghosts singing "Enjoy Yourself" or Ed Norton singing " My Baby Just Cares for Me" at the ring store.
The only reason it got 4 stars instead of 5 is some of the actors have weak voices and are weak dancers. But if you're not a musical theatre nut and can get past that, it's a great movie.