Sweet and Lowdown
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Movie Reviews of Sweet and Lowdown
Movie Review: The Beginning of a Tsunami
Summary: 5 Stars
It may be Woody Allen's second best film, next to Annie Hall and is at least partly responsible for a popular resurgence of interest in the legendary Romany guitar virtuoso, Django Reinhardt. Enough has been written about the film's wonderful cinematography, fine performances by Sean Penn and Samantha Morton and Mr. Allen's brilliant direction. Here I would like to emphasize the real star of the film: the music, as arranged and played by Howard Alden, one of the great new-generation jazz guitarists helping to bring about the revival of jazz Manouche, or Gypsy jazz.
Sweet and Lowdown helped create a new audience for this once ubiquitous European style, the almost singular creation of Django Reinhardt, swing jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli and the other house musicians of the now historic Parisian nightspot, Le Hot Club du France. A volatile amalgam of Romany folk melodies, musette dance tunes and newly-imported American jazz (which arrived in France shortly after 'the Great War') Django's music took fire in the nineteen thirties, surviving the Nazi occupation and thriving well into the post-WWII era. The death of Django Reinhardt in 1953 and the emergence of bebop effectively ended the public love affair with jazz Manouche, which all but vanished as record collectors snapped up the surviving 78s and only a few poorly mastered LP recordings survived.
But Django's solos, his amazing technique and signature tunes would survive over the decades in the Romany caravans from which it came, to resurface in the past decade as the Hot Club Revival, drawing increasingly large gatherings of musicians and fans to Django festivals, Django Jazz camps and nightclubs all over the world featuring Gypsy Jazz Nights. After digitally remastered CDs brought Reinhardt's prolific recordings back to the mainstream and a new generation of jazz musicians discovered the joys of playing this challenging style, the revival took root. Now there is a new generations of Gypsy jazz guitarists such as Bireli Lagrene, Angelo DeBarre, Stochelo Rosenberg and others, who are responsible for keeping the flame alive.
Howard Alden did an amazing job recreating the sound and energy of Hot Club swing, providing a much deeper level of authenticity to what, in the wrong hands, could have been just another shallow period piece. The cars and clothes may have a vintage look and feel, but the music sounds fresh, vibrant and extremely listenable, even to the uninitiated ear.
If you haven't seen this film, you're in for a treat. Afterwards, you may want to venture out to hear more of this incredible music, thereby joining the tidal wave of Django enthusiasts literally sweeping the music world. And that wave isn't cresting any time soon.
-Bill Barnes
Movie Review: The man who loves women....
Summary: 5 Stars
My first husband used to like to shoot rats at the dump. His also liked watching planes take off and land. And, he drank a lot. Maybe if he had played a guitar like Emmett Ray we would still be together. I was 16 when I met him and although not mute like Hattie, I thought he was pretty cool in his Marine uniform. He was basically an insecure guy who had been a battered child like Emmet Ray.I've been a Woody Allen fan since he was married to Louise Lasseter (Remember the tv series 'Soap'?) -- who looked a bit like Samantha Morton who looks a bit like Mia Farrow. I've seen most of Woody's films, some of them, like "Hannah" and "Annie" muliple times. I think one either is or is not a Woody fan and it seems to be a generational thing. My oldest son says the only film I ever recommended to him that he hated was a Woody Allen film.
My all time favorite is "Hannah and Her Sisters." I hated "Crimes and Misdemeanors" not because it was not a great film, but because of the ending. "Husbands and Wives", "Manhatten Murder Mystery" and "Annie Hall" were all good films. "Everyone Says I Love You" was entertaining -- who else but Woody would ask Tim Roth and Alan Alda to sing? And "Mighty Aphrodite" was a road trip.
Woody has a way of showcasing female actresses, taking advantage of both their ditzy and vulnerable qualities, and making them the heroines of his pieces. Anyone who thinks Woody doesn't like women better take another look at his films. His best find was probably Diane Keaton, although Diane Weist wasn't far behind. Both Dianes won Oscars, Weist won two, working for Woody. Mira Sorvino picked up an oscar, and Samantha Morton almost made it for "Sweet and Lowdown".
"Sweet and Lowdown" has it's funny moments, but it's probably one of the most sad and wistful films Woody has made, and although Ray really is the great artist he says he is (according to one of the narrators he doesn't really believe this), he doesn't really become the GREATEST until he suffers.
The jazz music is fabulous and typical of Woody's films. One piece I've heard in a least a half dozen of his other films ("Play it Again Sam"). I am definitely buying the CD sound track.
Movie Review: Get the widescreen version!
Summary: 5 Stars
Sweet, gentle, sad, with amazing performances by Sean Penn and Samantha
Morton.
Interestingly, this got mixed reviews on release for being 'small' in
scope, but to me that's its great strength. As screwed up as the Sean
Penn character is, we still get pulled into him, and it makes for a
lovely portrait of a sad, lost, brilliant jazz guitarist whose ego may
be even bigger than his great talent. Penn and Allen conspire to
create one of the most simultaneously infuriating and oddly
ingratiating characters of recent memory
No big conclusions or statements, just a subtle, brilliantly acted
comic and tragic study of humanity. That's enough make this the
strongest Woody Allen film for a number of years.
Two comments on the DVD. For some psychotic reason, after a brief run
where the DVD was made with both a 1:85 wide screen version and
a 4:3 full screen on the same disc, the DVD was re-released with
the doctored 4:3 version only. However, you can usually find a
copy of the widescreen available used on Amazon or elsewhere.
It's worth it. This is a beautifully composed film visually, and seeing
it with a large part of the image gone is a real loss. (Alternately,
if you have a region free DVD player, the region 2 version is widescreen
as well).
Also, this marks yet another Woody Allen film currently out-of-print,
meaning that much of his great work (including even 'Annie Hall') is
no longer being made. I keep waiting for the re-release/upgrade, but
have heard or seen nothing for months. So in case these films are being pulled
for some obscure legal or other reason, you might want to grab copies
while you can.
Movie Review: Woody's Best in Years
Summary: 5 Stars
I was never a big Woody Allen fan. To tell the truth I always found that his "acclaimed" comedies like "Annie Hall" or "Manhattan" were pretensious and overated. Every so often though Allen directs a movie which strikes me as pure genius. "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "Crimes and Misdemeanours" are both fabulous character driven drama's. Without a doubt "Sweet and Lowdown" is as good as both of those films. What really puts "Sweet and Lowdown" above most movies is the superb performances. Sean Penn and Samantha Morton each turn in the best performances of their careers. Penn plays an arrogant jazz guitarist who's life has been reconstructed for this film based on opinions and alledged stories. Morton plays his deaf girlfriend who over the years becomes dependant upon him.
Watching the two play their roles perfectly is the real pleasure of this movie. Penn is full of bluster but is constantly alluding to a sensitive side that never really comes out. Morton as the deaf girl is splendid. She deserved the Oscar she was nominated for as her subtlety and facial gestures are what makes this performance a gem.
The script is of course well written and amusing. Allen has finally veered away (if only for a little bit) from his neurotic pacing. After the dismal and unfunny "Celebrity" in which Kenneth Branagh did a karaoke Woody Allen it is nice to see him scrap the neurosis all together.
"Sweet and Lowdown" is essentially a character study. Sweet vs Lowdown, innocence vs arrogance etc... The film works magnificently and is certanly the best film Allen has produced in ten or so years.
Movie Review: The day after seeing it, it really struck a chord
Summary: 5 Stars
While watching this movie I was simply charmed by the music and carried along by the events. It wasn't until the next day when I was talking with my wife about why I feel our relationship is so great that it suddenly struck me what the whole point of the movie had been. It was that last scene where Emmet smashes his guitar that the point was brought to the fore. I fell in love with Hattie (Samantha Morton gave an endearing and artistic performance). I didn't realize that Emmet was missing the boat. Hattie may have been mute and dumb but she was the best thing that ever happened to Emmet. There was that je-ne-sais-quoi between them which makes all the difference in the world; life isn't worth a hill of beans without it. That is what this movie said to me. And I thought Woody Allen did a fantastic job by writing this story in order to illustrate this point. From that vantage point all the incidents in the story fell into place as building up to this point. Yes, life can truly pass us by if we don't watch out. We grope around following our urges not knowing quite what it is we are looking for and if we happen to come across it, we'd better grab hold of it and never let it go. Once I realized this about this movie, my admiration for Woody Allen soared to new heights, not to mention that Sean Penn did a superb job as did Samanta Morton. It's not your S/O's this or that characteristic, it's the je-ne-sais-quoi between the two of you. I can't think of another movie which made this all-important point.