Play it Again, Sam
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Movie Reviews of Play it Again, Sam
Movie Review: I love the rain, it washed memories off the sidewalk of life.....
Summary: 4 Stars
I dont think this is as good as 'Take the money and run' but it runs a close second. This movie will appeal to people who have insecurites, are nuerotic, doubt themselves and become rigid with worry when around the opposite sex - basically 95% of the human race feel like that at some stages in life. It will also appeal if you just want a good old belly laugh without any profanities or over the top in-your-face comedies that come out today.
Allen Felix's (Woody)wife leaves him because she wants to 'live', participate in life and be a 'doer' and not a 'watcher', to run through Europe on a motorcycle, go dancing and skiing. She also doesnt dig him physically - then tells him for "gods sake dont take it personally"! After some prodding from best friends Dick and Linda, he decides to start dating again. After many disasters, he falls for his best friends wife which is doomed to fail.
Finally he comes to terms with being Allen Felix and no longer has to put out his 100 yard dash track record medal(that he payed 20 dollars for) put on the proper mood music, or try to be Humphrey Bogart to impress a woman. He learns if he is to succeed he has to accept and realise his own potential and walks off into the mist with 'As time goes by' playing. Its a low key and a pretty film with a very touching conclusion. The hard thing about any comedy is to fuse human frailty and be funny without being shmaltzy. Woody manages to succeed at this. I see the film as about losing and ultimately finding. The Alen Felix character eventually finds love and then loses it. He loses his best friend. But most importantly, he finds himself. After all, real love starts with self love.
It does tend to run out of steam toward the end but its still a classic with some great sight gags and one liners.
Movie Review: Play it again, Woody
Summary: 4 Stars
Directed by Herbert Ross, "Play It Again, Sam" (1972) is Woody Allen's film from the beginning to the final credits. Allen wrote the screenplay based on his Broadway play and he starred as Allan, a neurotic movie buff who writes the film reviews (what else?). Allan not just loves movies; he lives in the movies' world and constantly takes advices on how to get the girls from the legendary hero of his all time favorite movie "Casablanca", Humphrey Bogart's Rick. I am not a fan of "Casablanca" at all but if my favorite Artist is so much in love with it, maybe I should give it another try.
When Allan's wife Nancy leaves him, his best friend Dick (Tony Roberts) and his lovely wife Linda (Diane Keaton) try to fix him up with several eligible pretty young ladies. Very typically for Woody's characters, he is a total failure with them. The only woman he feels comfortable with, he shares the same insecurities and neuroses, the one whose Birthday he remembers and who he desperately wants is Linda, his best friend's wife. "Play It Again, Sam" is a remarkable movie for several reasons and one of them - it was the beginning of a wonderful working (and not only) relationship between Allen and Keaton that would result in the movies "Bananas" (1971), "Sleeper" (1973), "Love and Death" (1975), "Annie Hall" (1977), "Interiors" (1978), "Manhattan" (1979), "Radio Days" (1987), and "Manhattan Murder Mystery" (1993) and will bring them both well deserved fame and Oscars. Made 34 years ago, "Play It Again, Sam" holds up very well and I would call it my favorite earlier Woody's film and the best Woody's film that he has not directed.
Movie Review: PLAY IT AGAIN, INDEED!
Summary: 4 Stars
Here is another early Woody Allen social commentary heavily dependent on his long time love affair with film noir and its characters, in this case the legendary tough guy/romantic figure Humphrey Bogart, aka Rick of Rick's American Cafe in Casablanca. Now this may be a film that seems dated compared to today's new sensibilities around the `woman' question. It is not clear that it would be politically correct to ask advice of the legendary Bogart on the woman question today.
Bogie cinematically, except in the case of Lauren Bacall, was rough on his lady friends (or for the politically incorrect `dames'). But not to worry Woody is the same old bungling ball of nerves and anxieties as he is in most of his films. The real surprise here is that such a cerebral actor/ comedian/ director uses so many sight gags in his repertoire. Does the woman question get resolved here for poor Woody? Well watch the film and find out. You will be glad you did.
Movie Review: Pre-Annie Hall Allen
Summary: 4 Stars
This is great; some people say thay Allen plays the same person every movie; if that is so, his films still don't fall under the "Youv'e seen one, you've seen them all criteria." Allen has made many films, and almost all of them are original. This one is not Annie Hall or Manhattan, but is worth seeing. It's interesting to see Diane Keaton before Annie Hall, and she was famous. This film is not spectacular, but it is entertaining, and it has some big laughs, especially whaen he tries to drink alcohol, and he spits it out. That reminded me of Annie Hall, when he spits out $2000 of a certain drug. Thank you for taking the time to read my review and feel free to leave me a helpful/not helpful feedback. God Bless America!Movie Review: Early Woody.
Summary: 4 Stars
Play it Again Sam is not one of Woody Allen's best movies, and, for this reason, I can only give it four stars. However, all of his early movies have merit and worth in my opinion. There is a great deal of silly comedy in this film and the character of Bogey always comes along to give our hero advice that he does not have the style or flair to put into practice. Play it Again... is rough and jaggedy compared to the uniform excellence of Sleeper and Banannas, but it's still a good bit of fun. Seeing Allen outside of New York (it's set in San Francisco)is quite a novelty and the beauty of a young Diane Keaton won't be something viewers will soon forget.