El gran amante

This is a very enjoyable movie. It has many touches in it that are classic Woody Allen, so it should appeal to his many fans. It is also so strong on the jazz material that it should appeal to jazz afficianados even if they are not Woody Allen fans.

The biographical / documentary styles keep this movie away from Woody's worst excesses (I am a fan, but not a blinkered one)and provide momentum. There are one or two scenes that migrate towards farce, such as the hold-up scene(s) and the "moon seat".

This film is well worth seeing.

Woody Allen has such control over the story telling tools of cinema that he can do whatever he wants. Mixing "documentary" comments about what is happening with the characters, and straightforward and yet superbly filmed feature sequences, Allen shows once again why he is one of the greatest film directors of our time. Good plot, great performances, skillfully constructed characters, excellent camera work... can you ask for more?

This is a slight but delightful work. The story is a (fictional) biography of one Emmet Ray, a cad with a passion for watching trains and shooting rats in junk yards and who just happens to be a virtuosic guitarist. Emmet does not lack for talent and ego, but his drinking, philandering, and small-time philanthropizing keep him from capitalizing on his genius. He is obsessed with Django Reinhardt as being perhaps the only guitarist who might be better - Ray has fainted both times he was in the presence of Reinhardt. The story is told as if it were a documentary of a real person with talking heads interspersed with dramatizations. It could be taken as a satire on that style of presentation since the critics being interviewed come across with just a touch of fake sincerity.

The enjoyment comes from the atmospheric and detailed re-creation of the 1930s. The nightclub scenes are a particular highlight. In fact a whole movie of just those kinds of scenes with 1930s jazz bands and singers might have been an improvement to this movie, since that is where this movie really shines.

The filming uses over-saturated colors to good effect, creating a cozy and warm feeling. There is humor, but it is gentle, particularly for Woody Allen.

As usual Allen has assembled a cast of attractive women. Samantha Morton, who plays a mute who turns out to be Ray's true love interest (a fact he realizes too late) is a joy to watch. Her performance recalls the sweet silent movie stars. Sean Penn does well with his playing Ray as somewhat of a train wreck of a man who frustrates all those he encounters, but who never-the-less has endearing qualities. He is transported into another dimension when he plays his guitar and he takes his audiences with him.

This is a strange movie, but one made a little bit special to me because of one memorable character: "Hattie," played by Samantha Morton. What a wonderful, endearing character! The sweet look on her face alone makes this movie worth keeping.

Another huge positive for this film is the cinematography. This is beautifully shot with great colors which look all the better on DVD.

As mentioned by other reviewers, Sean Penn also does an excellent job in the lead. The shocker for me was how good a comedic touch he exhibits. Putting his general persona or politics aside, this man deserves kudos as an actor.

There is a third very different and interesting character in this movie: "Blanche," played by Uma Thurman, who portrays an amoral woman in the last part of the film. She, too, is fascinating.

So....three interesting characters, great photography AND terrific music - jazz guitar is a central part of this story - all make for a fun hour-and-a-half of entertainment.

In my opinion, there is more than one type of Woody Allen film. There is the antic lunacy of films like Bananas and Sleeper, the serio-comic "serious" film with "meaning", like Annie Hall, Husbands and Wives and Deconstructing Harry and then there are what I think are Woody Allen's "love notes", if you'll bear with the expression, films like The Purple Rose of Cairo, Bullets Over Broadway and Sweet and Lowdown, films as a general rule that are period pieces (generally the '30's or thereabouts) that are basically mash notes from Allen to something Allen particularly cares about, such as jazz in Sweet and Lowdown (specifically jazz guitar and Django Reinhardt). The score is great, which is typical for a Woody Allen film. Allen does these little films vey well and they are almost always worth watching. Sean Penn plays a self-centered, egotistical creep with talent. I will leave any further interpretations regarding the preceding statement to the Gentle Reader. Why he was nominated for an Oscar escapes me. Samantha Morton, on the other hand, gives a sweet, if almost one-note, performance, which basically sums up the movie: worth the time and effort to watch, but a one-note film. If you like this side of Woody (and I do), this is worth seeing.