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Sweet And Lowdown on DVD (1999)
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Radio Times
After the disappointing Celebrity, Woody Allen returned to form with this sparkling comedy drama about a fictional 1930s jazzman whose life only makes sense when he's playing guitar. Sean Penn stars as Emmet Ray, a kleptomaniac musical genius whose idea of a good time is to watch trains, shoot rats and seduce women. Happiness comes in a sweetly fulfilling relationship with mute innocent Hattie (Samantha Morton), though the feckless Ray is soon up to his old tricks with society gal Blanche (Uma Thurman). A host of jazz experts, including Allen himself, delivers straight-faced tributes to Ray's gift, and the costumes and production design are splendidly opulent. But it's British actress Morton who steals the show, getting her revenge after Penn breaks her heart by silently breaking ours.
Done in the style of a biopic, this is a delighfully inventive comedy, in love with the period and its music and able to communicate that emotion to its audience; the central performances of Penn, as the musician destructive of himself and others, and Sam Box Office "...There's a sweetness to SWEET AND LOWDOWN whenever Penn and Morton interact on screen....Hers is a wondrous performance....Penn, who couldn't give a bad performance if he tried, is also fun..." Members ReviewsReviews Voted Most HelpfulMost Recent Reviews |
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