Woody
Allen churns out films faster than just about any other film maker out there.
The man has a lot to say, and when he's good, he's really good. Lucky for him,
even his weaker efforts have something substantial to offer. I'd call Anything
Else one of his weaker efforts, and that really isn't a knock towards the picture.
Jason
Biggs is a young comedy writer with an entire future ahead of him. His writing
is really starting to take off and it helps that he's in love with the perfect
woman. Or so he thinks. Christina Ricci is the object of his affection, and as
the film progresses, Biggs slowly begins to realize that he's in love with one
neurotic individual.
The
marketing campaign for this film was curiously odd. Allen's name was rarely mentioned
in commercials, and the movie appeared to be a typical romantic comedy, so going
in, I was prepared for something much different than what I got.
Through
the first act of the picture, I wasn't impressed at all. The dialogue felt stilted
and the performances appeared wooden. I kept thinking to myself; "Woody Allen
didn't direct this." As the movie slowly began to take shape, I did warm
up to it a bit. In fact, the movie really comes alive when Allen is on screen.
He appears as a sort of mentor to Biggs, and while he delivers his dialogue in
a typical Woody Allen fashion, he comes across as more likable than neurotic.
I really enjoyed his scenes with Biggs, in which he would try to talk sense into
this young, confused man.
Jason
Biggs doesn't quite have the confidence to bring this character to life, but it
certainly shows a new kind of potential from the star of the American Pie series.
With her big eyes and smooth skin, Christina Ricci is near perfect as Biggs' strange,
dysfunctional nightmare of a wife. This complex character has many layers, and
Ricci really seems at home in this role. In fact, this is probably her strongest
work.
What really
took me by surprise was the focus of the picture. This isn't really a romance
at all. This is a story about growing up and taking chances in life. And the final
moment when we realize what the title of the movie has to do with what's going
on in Allen's crazy universe, everything seems to make sense. Yes, like many of
Allen's pictures, Anything Else is about that crazy thing called life.
Woody
Allen may have tried to cram too much stuff into Anything Else, but there are
some absolutely wonderful moments in this picture, including one scene in which
a magnetic Stockard Channing sings a tune while playing piano. It's a sweet, passionate,
irrelevant moment, but one that works and Allen has the good sense to not cut
away.
I wouldn't
rank Anything Else among Woody Allen's strongest work, but it is a hell of lot
more insightful than some of the other slop that's been invading our multiplexes
as of late.
