158 reviews
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.
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.
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.
- ian_harris
- May 28, 2003
- Permalink
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.
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.
- ccthemovieman-1
- Oct 23, 2005
- Permalink
The two movies that come to mind when I think about Sean Penn and his acting ability are not Mystic River and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. They are Carlito's Way and Sweet & Lowdown. In both of these movies, he immerses himself in the characters, while in most of his other movies, including the art house hits like 21 Grams and Hurly Burly, he plays more or less the same type of person. Sweet and Lowdown has Penn playing a self-absorbed classical guitarist who obsesses over a world-renowned guitarist much in the way Woody Allen obsesses over things in his other movies. Woody himself shows up as a commentator (this, like Zelig, is presented in mock documentary fashion). It is amusing, if slight (and a sign of things to come in 2000-2002, with Small Time Crooks, Curse of the Jade Scorpion and Hollywood Ending). Samantha Morton won a justified Oscar nomination, but Uma Thurman and Gretchen Mol are wasted (Uma got second billing over Sean Penn, and is hardly in the movie!) Not a Woody Allen masterpiece, but fans could do worse.
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.
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.
A slow, rich movie. Though it lags in places, the three lead performances are indelibly written in my memory. And the great jazz soundtrack and warm colors made this movie go down like a glass of bourbon.
Embodying the archetypal difficult genius, Emmet Ray is an almost cartoonishly dislikable guy. But Sean Penn keeps him just this side of sympathetic; we loathe his actions, we curse his self-destructiveness, and yet we're compelled to keep watching in the increasingly futile hope he'll turn himself around. His last scenes are heartrending.
As Hattie, Samantha Morton strikes a perfect, almost Chaplinesque, balance of comedy and tragedy. The line separating the two is razor-thin; she dances gracefully upon it. I could say more, but perhaps appropriately, it's difficult to find words that capture the beauty of her silent performance. Half the joy is in watching her reactions naturally unfold anyway.
Like Penn, Uma Thurman portrays a pretty unlikeable character. Her Blanche is overly intellectual, questions incessantly and is in some ways just as emotionally alienated as Emmett. Though her character is grating at first (particularly in contrast to Morton), Thurman does not shrink from the less flattering aspects of her character. It's a brave performance in a thankless role.
Woody Allen has constructed a thoughtful meditation on the nature of artistry. Not on celebrity -- we all know how that film turned out -- but on the rights and responsibilities of the true artist. Emmett, Hattie and Blanche represent the axis of artists, fans and critics respectively. As their relationships play out -- naturally, inexorably and poignantly -- the viewer gets a rare treat: a film that plucks at the mind and at the heart as gracefully as Emmett picking his guitar strings.
Embodying the archetypal difficult genius, Emmet Ray is an almost cartoonishly dislikable guy. But Sean Penn keeps him just this side of sympathetic; we loathe his actions, we curse his self-destructiveness, and yet we're compelled to keep watching in the increasingly futile hope he'll turn himself around. His last scenes are heartrending.
As Hattie, Samantha Morton strikes a perfect, almost Chaplinesque, balance of comedy and tragedy. The line separating the two is razor-thin; she dances gracefully upon it. I could say more, but perhaps appropriately, it's difficult to find words that capture the beauty of her silent performance. Half the joy is in watching her reactions naturally unfold anyway.
Like Penn, Uma Thurman portrays a pretty unlikeable character. Her Blanche is overly intellectual, questions incessantly and is in some ways just as emotionally alienated as Emmett. Though her character is grating at first (particularly in contrast to Morton), Thurman does not shrink from the less flattering aspects of her character. It's a brave performance in a thankless role.
Woody Allen has constructed a thoughtful meditation on the nature of artistry. Not on celebrity -- we all know how that film turned out -- but on the rights and responsibilities of the true artist. Emmett, Hattie and Blanche represent the axis of artists, fans and critics respectively. As their relationships play out -- naturally, inexorably and poignantly -- the viewer gets a rare treat: a film that plucks at the mind and at the heart as gracefully as Emmett picking his guitar strings.
- bijin_chick
- May 7, 2005
- Permalink
Sweet And Lowdown, is set in the 1930's and is about a jazz musician named Emmet Ray. Emmet, liked to spend his money, drink and often showed up late or drunk to jazz appearances. One day Emmet meets a mute woman named Hattie, who falls in love with him. The rest of the film shows Emmet's jazz career going up and down and his love for other women besides Hattie. Winner of The ALFS Award for British Supporting Actress Of The Year (Samantha Morton, who plays Hattie) at The London Critics Circle Film Awards. Sweet And Lowdown, has good direction, a good script, good performances from everybody involved, good original music, good cinematography, good film editing, good production design, good art direction, set decoration and good costume design. Sweet And Lowdown, is written and directed by Woody Allen, who is one of my favourite writers and directors but I was disappointed with this film. It wasn't a bad film and it was well acted and well made but there wasn't an awful lot to it. Not too much goes on in this movie and it doesn't really give the characters a chance to be as interesting as they could be. Also coming from Woody Allen, I didn't find the film funny at all. It also lacked his usual great dialog. Still the film is entertaining and I recommend it but it is not one of Woody Allen's best films.
- cultfilmfan
- Jun 5, 2005
- Permalink
When we try to understand genius, or love, or "why?", we run into the same problem that the ancients encountered:
"I went to the poets I took them some of the most elaborate passages in their own writings, and asked what was the meaning of them thinking that they would teach me something. I must say that there is hardly a person present who would not have talked better about their poetry than they did themselves. That showed me in an instant that not by wisdom do poets write poetry, but by a sort of genius and inspiration; they are like diviners or soothsayers who also say many fine things, but do not understand the meaning of them." Socrates, The Apology
So here we have Woody telling a story about a storyteller, who talks and struts endlessly (Penn has a ball with this), but can only say anything through music, and he can't explain a bit of it. Much like Woody, who prattles on about every neurosis, but speaks volumes through his control of the medium. It's just something he's born to do.
And this is the only way to understand Django -- with only two working fingers on his fretting hand (accidental disfigurement), he reinvented the whole medium of guitar. The new shape of his hand forced him into holding octaves - which can be done on guitar with two adjacent fingers, unlike on the piano - and changing the way leads and comping - here, self-accompaniment - were played. His art was the necessary step before Les Paul, and thence to Wes Montgomery, and so on to you and me.
Here is devotion without hagiography, because all of this is wrapped into "one of those Emmett Ray stories", where you can 'never be sure' of what is truth, confabulation, or exaggeration.
Brilliance. Bravo, to all.
"I went to the poets I took them some of the most elaborate passages in their own writings, and asked what was the meaning of them thinking that they would teach me something. I must say that there is hardly a person present who would not have talked better about their poetry than they did themselves. That showed me in an instant that not by wisdom do poets write poetry, but by a sort of genius and inspiration; they are like diviners or soothsayers who also say many fine things, but do not understand the meaning of them." Socrates, The Apology
So here we have Woody telling a story about a storyteller, who talks and struts endlessly (Penn has a ball with this), but can only say anything through music, and he can't explain a bit of it. Much like Woody, who prattles on about every neurosis, but speaks volumes through his control of the medium. It's just something he's born to do.
And this is the only way to understand Django -- with only two working fingers on his fretting hand (accidental disfigurement), he reinvented the whole medium of guitar. The new shape of his hand forced him into holding octaves - which can be done on guitar with two adjacent fingers, unlike on the piano - and changing the way leads and comping - here, self-accompaniment - were played. His art was the necessary step before Les Paul, and thence to Wes Montgomery, and so on to you and me.
Here is devotion without hagiography, because all of this is wrapped into "one of those Emmett Ray stories", where you can 'never be sure' of what is truth, confabulation, or exaggeration.
Brilliance. Bravo, to all.
Samantha Morton is absolutely the highlight of this film. The rest of the film is wonderful, but Morton truely shines in her role in this film. Her facial expressions really make her character show through. Facial expressions are very important to this film, but absolutely key to her character, which will make more sense when you see it, I will say nothing more than that, and I loved the ending.
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?
- Trufó
- Apr 14, 2000
- Permalink
The Sweet and Lowdown will make you believe it is a story about actual people. The narrators and the stranger than fiction portraits of life give a realistic feel to it. It's a typical Woody Allen flick in its combination of humour and interesting story.
The movie follows a dislikeable character, played by Sean Penn, who you love to see through out his many failures in life. The film has vibrant characters and that is arguably the best part of it.
The only really bad thing I could say against this film is that it doesn't really have an ending. It just goes on until it ends at an arbitrary point. If this were an actual biopic you could understand it as just following history, but as it is it just seems odd. Though it could be said that it just sticks to style.
Overall the Sweet and Lowdown is like a familiar meal that is filling while not exactly novel. It's a movie that will be more enjoyed by Woody Allen's fans because while it is funny the plot leaves one feeling empty and longing for more.
The movie follows a dislikeable character, played by Sean Penn, who you love to see through out his many failures in life. The film has vibrant characters and that is arguably the best part of it.
The only really bad thing I could say against this film is that it doesn't really have an ending. It just goes on until it ends at an arbitrary point. If this were an actual biopic you could understand it as just following history, but as it is it just seems odd. Though it could be said that it just sticks to style.
Overall the Sweet and Lowdown is like a familiar meal that is filling while not exactly novel. It's a movie that will be more enjoyed by Woody Allen's fans because while it is funny the plot leaves one feeling empty and longing for more.
Right in the opening scene of "Sweet and Lowdown", writer-director Woody Allen appears on camera - as himself - and tries to explain why he decided to tell this particular story of this particular character (whom he calls boorish and obnoxious), and he seems to struggle to find a reason; the movie itself is no help. Its pseudo-documentary format may remind you of Allen's "Zelig", but I think the movie in his career it's closest to is "Cafe Society": a great-looking period package with little inside. Like that film, this one isn't a total loss, either: there is lots of tuneful music, elegant production design (you really do feel transported to the 1930s), a nice Buster Keaton-esque performance by Samantha Morton, and even a fun little homage to "Rashomon", which Allen does list as one of his ten favorite films of all time. "Sweet and Lowdown" probably won't be in too many people's "ten favorite Woody Allen films" lists, though. ** out of 4.
- gridoon2024
- Oct 19, 2022
- Permalink
Woody is uneven to say the least. His most celebrated films strike me as failures by overreaching. But here the aspirations are slight and the result is rather winning.
All of Woody's pictures are self-referential in the sense that they are about him, his foibles and neuroses. Here, that is made more plain by the invention of a simple self-referential device: the film is about an artist who has troubles relating to women, and who has eccentric habits. Ho hum, until you add the tricks which are deft;
--The story is a documentary (complete with reminicenses) but of a completely fictitious character
--The narrative comes not from a disembodied camera, but from the contemporaries and historians, including Woody. Thus, the artist sits down with the audience, to swap tales about his avatar.
--Some of the stories are of the `as I heard it' tall tale variety, going so far as to have three versions of a scene all patent lies. This is really the best.
It all works because Penn is such an intelligent actor. He knows that he has to live in several realities:
--He is the character
--He is the fictitious remembrance of the character
--He is one of the storytellers
--He is the actor Sean Penn winking at you throughout
Penn carries this off with aplumb -- simultaneous stances, all but the first in good humor. Great drama, since you never really know where you stand. This film is a gem.
All of Woody's pictures are self-referential in the sense that they are about him, his foibles and neuroses. Here, that is made more plain by the invention of a simple self-referential device: the film is about an artist who has troubles relating to women, and who has eccentric habits. Ho hum, until you add the tricks which are deft;
--The story is a documentary (complete with reminicenses) but of a completely fictitious character
--The narrative comes not from a disembodied camera, but from the contemporaries and historians, including Woody. Thus, the artist sits down with the audience, to swap tales about his avatar.
--Some of the stories are of the `as I heard it' tall tale variety, going so far as to have three versions of a scene all patent lies. This is really the best.
It all works because Penn is such an intelligent actor. He knows that he has to live in several realities:
--He is the character
--He is the fictitious remembrance of the character
--He is one of the storytellers
--He is the actor Sean Penn winking at you throughout
Penn carries this off with aplumb -- simultaneous stances, all but the first in good humor. Great drama, since you never really know where you stand. This film is a gem.
Both Sean Penn and Samantha Morton were Oscar nominated for Sweet and Lowdown. Allen's films have had a lot of Oscar nods over the decades and this time it was purely for the actors, not for the screenplay. Wonder if that means something.
This movie comes from Woody's Fallow Period, my name for the dead zone at the turn of the millennium when it started to look like he was washed-up. But it's not really of the period because this screenplay came out of the drawer. Allen wrote it decades earlier and intended to play the part of Emmet himself. I wonder if he could have managed the emotions displayed by this volatile, vain virtuoso. Allen is a musician himself but despite touring his preferred New Orleans Jazz around Europe he's never achieved greatness on his instrument, the clarinet. See documentary Wild Man Blues (1997) to get a flavour.
Morton is enchanting in a silent role, playing the mute woman enchanted by Emmet's guitar wizardry. Penn does a fine job projecting the artist's skills and egotism, as well as his disappointment and folly. Documentary style interview segments in which talking heads tell more of the mythical (fictional) Emmet Ray help, I suppose, to keep us sympathetic towards a man who often acts like a jerk.
Whether or not you love this film, and I don't know anyone who does, may depend on whether you love Jazz guitar of the era. I don't so this movie never captivates me. It has, in fact, some of the characteristics of Woody's more recent, costume comedies (Magic in the Moonlight, for example), in that it looks good, is well acted, but the story just isn't quite interesting enough. It's a little bit meh.
Worth a look but maybe only the one.
This movie comes from Woody's Fallow Period, my name for the dead zone at the turn of the millennium when it started to look like he was washed-up. But it's not really of the period because this screenplay came out of the drawer. Allen wrote it decades earlier and intended to play the part of Emmet himself. I wonder if he could have managed the emotions displayed by this volatile, vain virtuoso. Allen is a musician himself but despite touring his preferred New Orleans Jazz around Europe he's never achieved greatness on his instrument, the clarinet. See documentary Wild Man Blues (1997) to get a flavour.
Morton is enchanting in a silent role, playing the mute woman enchanted by Emmet's guitar wizardry. Penn does a fine job projecting the artist's skills and egotism, as well as his disappointment and folly. Documentary style interview segments in which talking heads tell more of the mythical (fictional) Emmet Ray help, I suppose, to keep us sympathetic towards a man who often acts like a jerk.
Whether or not you love this film, and I don't know anyone who does, may depend on whether you love Jazz guitar of the era. I don't so this movie never captivates me. It has, in fact, some of the characteristics of Woody's more recent, costume comedies (Magic in the Moonlight, for example), in that it looks good, is well acted, but the story just isn't quite interesting enough. It's a little bit meh.
Worth a look but maybe only the one.
- HuntinPeck80
- Sep 30, 2023
- Permalink
Sean Penn plays Emmett Ray, a little-known jazz guitarist, an eccentric, egocentric genius self-proclaimed as the "greatest guitar player in the country" or the "second greatest guitar player in the world" - because of that gypsy from France, the bane of his life, Django Reinhardt. The story of Sweet and Lowdown is the story of Emmett and the girl he first describes as "the little one with the silly hat," who is also, incidentally, called Hattie. There is something so special and memorable about the chemistry between Hattie and Emmett. Hattie is perfect for Emmett, because she's mute, and therefore he can sound off all day about how great he is, and she's the one person who won't contradict him.
Woody has the knack of making highly watchable movies - and popping them out one a year. There is a continuity across them all, yet they all seem somewhat unique. Sweet and Lowdown stands heads and shoulders above every other film Woody has made since Husbands and Wives. With Sweet and Lowdown, Woody reminds us why we loved him in the first place - yet i'm not sure i can think of another Woody film that's as genuine, beautiful and moving, yet eccentric and funny at the same time. Annie Hall was probably as touching, but with Woody is no actor next to Penn, which i think makes an incredible difference! Penn brings to life a character so eccentric and unbelievable, yet we never doubt him, we never feel he's not a total human being.
Penn's performance is counterbalanced by another equally moving performance by Samantha Morton as Hattie. Often you'll find yourself watching a two-shot with the both of them on screen, and you won't be able to decide which character you're more curious to watch. More often than not, you'll watch Samantha Morton, to see what Hattie is thinking and feeling. An extraordinary job by an extraordinarily talented actress you may have seen as the mother in In America or the pre-cog Agatha in Minority report.
The one fault in the film is Uma Thurman - she is badly miscast and clearly only suited to intentionally hammy fodder like Kill Bill. Her character, Blanche, is great ("Okay, so i slept with him, but i was just researching a book!"), which makes it more the shame that Thurman speaks her line like she thinks this is a cartoon or a Tarantino movie. The audience will only accept the eccentricity of this style if the performances are genuine: she gets an F. She pops the bubble of this movie. When she appears, we suddenly realise its only a movie, and the spell is broken. Nevertheless, she's only in a relatively small portion of the film, and she can't bring down the rest of it.
Sweet and Lowdown has the feeling of telling you a tale, and it spins some great fun yarns about little-known jazz guitarist Emmett Ray. Penn and Morton bring to life an incredible couple of characters - two of Woody's best creations. Well designed with nice period costumes and well directed, especially the magestic final crane shot (a reference to La Strada i believe). The story is beautifully punctuated with scintillating jazz music by Dick Hyman and others.
"Come listen," Emmett tells someone at one point, "you'll love this, i'm great."
Woody has the knack of making highly watchable movies - and popping them out one a year. There is a continuity across them all, yet they all seem somewhat unique. Sweet and Lowdown stands heads and shoulders above every other film Woody has made since Husbands and Wives. With Sweet and Lowdown, Woody reminds us why we loved him in the first place - yet i'm not sure i can think of another Woody film that's as genuine, beautiful and moving, yet eccentric and funny at the same time. Annie Hall was probably as touching, but with Woody is no actor next to Penn, which i think makes an incredible difference! Penn brings to life a character so eccentric and unbelievable, yet we never doubt him, we never feel he's not a total human being.
Penn's performance is counterbalanced by another equally moving performance by Samantha Morton as Hattie. Often you'll find yourself watching a two-shot with the both of them on screen, and you won't be able to decide which character you're more curious to watch. More often than not, you'll watch Samantha Morton, to see what Hattie is thinking and feeling. An extraordinary job by an extraordinarily talented actress you may have seen as the mother in In America or the pre-cog Agatha in Minority report.
The one fault in the film is Uma Thurman - she is badly miscast and clearly only suited to intentionally hammy fodder like Kill Bill. Her character, Blanche, is great ("Okay, so i slept with him, but i was just researching a book!"), which makes it more the shame that Thurman speaks her line like she thinks this is a cartoon or a Tarantino movie. The audience will only accept the eccentricity of this style if the performances are genuine: she gets an F. She pops the bubble of this movie. When she appears, we suddenly realise its only a movie, and the spell is broken. Nevertheless, she's only in a relatively small portion of the film, and she can't bring down the rest of it.
Sweet and Lowdown has the feeling of telling you a tale, and it spins some great fun yarns about little-known jazz guitarist Emmett Ray. Penn and Morton bring to life an incredible couple of characters - two of Woody's best creations. Well designed with nice period costumes and well directed, especially the magestic final crane shot (a reference to La Strada i believe). The story is beautifully punctuated with scintillating jazz music by Dick Hyman and others.
"Come listen," Emmett tells someone at one point, "you'll love this, i'm great."
- Ben_Cheshire
- May 30, 2004
- Permalink
- nunoaraujoduarte
- Aug 5, 2011
- Permalink
Woody Allen's "Sweet and Lowdown" (1999), a fictional biopic about "the world's second best jazz guitarist," Emmet Ray is sweet, funny, dramatic, filled with fantastic music and is simply terrific. "Sweet and Lowdown" reminds "Bullets over Broadway" (1994), another Allen's period movie set in the nostalgic area of great jazz and gangsters who understood and supported art and the artists, at least to the certain points. Sean Penn gave IMO his best performance as the man as talented as he was egotistic and self-centered. Creating and performing brilliantly the clear, magical, and melancholic guitar compositions, Emmett Ray (Penn) was also busy with kleptomania, a little pimping on the side, dealing with gangsters, shooting rats and watching passing trains as his favorite hobbies, and also drinking, and chasing girls. Young Samantha Morton who was only 21 and ironically never seen any Allen's movie prior to taking a role of Penn's mute girlfriend-laundress, had to do all the acting with her face, eyes, and body language and was she good. The unrequited tender and all-forgiving love has the face, and that's Samantha's face in Woody Allen's bittersweet, comical and poignant Fake documentary about a true talent which was larger than the man who possessed it.
- Galina_movie_fan
- Apr 29, 2008
- Permalink
- secondtake
- Dec 19, 2009
- Permalink
Once again we get to see Sean Penn at his charming and reckless best. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him go into his self destructive mode, losing out on the things that are really important. One could start off thinking of him as an arrogant ass, but then come to realize that he is more insecure than almost anyone. His fear of the looming Django Renihart is pretty cool. Imagine being the second best and knowing it, that is, being so good but not quite there. How many people can tell you who the second man to walk on the moon was? The money comes and the money goes and the man goes on. The cinematography of this film is wonderful, capturing an era when the jazz performer was the king.
When "Sweet and Lowdown" came out, I was somehow led to believe that Emmet Ray was a real person. Although it turns out that he wasn't, this is still a very well done movie. Sean Penn makes the most of the role, with the same sort of intensity that he always brings to his roles. He shows Ray as a rather impolite weirdo whom you can't help but admire - he is a great guitarist. Samantha Morton is equally interesting as Ray's mute love interest Hattie. It just goes to show that Woody Allen can do good work when he doesn't focus on neurotic rich New Yorkers. Also starring Uma Thurman, Anthony LaPaglia, Gretchen Mol, John Waters, Brad Garrett, and Allen as himself.
- lee_eisenberg
- May 12, 2006
- Permalink
I loved this. A story of a fictional character, portrayed as documentary, the viewer is drawn in, particularly by the believable performances from all the cast, Samantha Morton and Sean Penn in particular. They both deserved the nominations they received for these roles. Morton especially since she had no words, only expressions, to carry meaning, and she succeeds.
In addition, if you like jazz, there is simply some fantastic music to be heard. Apparently Penn had never played guitar before this movie, and while it is unlikely that he was able to play to this standard, he nevertheless carries off miming very well.
Great music, great film. 10/10
In addition, if you like jazz, there is simply some fantastic music to be heard. Apparently Penn had never played guitar before this movie, and while it is unlikely that he was able to play to this standard, he nevertheless carries off miming very well.
Great music, great film. 10/10
- Dragonshadow0
- Jun 5, 2002
- Permalink
'Sweet and Lowdown' is jazz aficionado Woody Allen's fictional biopic of Emmet Ray, legendary depression-era guitarist and loser. In spite of its faux-historical setting, it's still immediately recognisable as a Woody Allen film, with its rambling construction, sly silly humour, and its use of certain trademark locations (Coney Island, for example). In fact, it's amazing how easily Sean Penn, a most distinctive actor, slides into Allen's world; and the film is fresher than many of Allen's recent efforts, in part because Allen himself (who reliable self-caricature before the cameras has grown increasingly stale) hardly features in it. It's hardly groundbreaking, but it is sweet, and funny as well.
- paul2001sw-1
- May 8, 2006
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It was so obvious that Sean Penn was not playing the guitar during the performances. I am surprised that Woody Allen who is a good musician would insult guitarists like this. Penn was not only not playing but nowhere near the area of the fingerboard that the notes were coming from.
The only interest was Django`s music apart from that the film dragged on with a very poor ending. somebody tell Woody that jazz guitar players do not smash up their guitars - it just doesn`t happen.
I will buy the CD of the music but never watch the film again.
The only interest was Django`s music apart from that the film dragged on with a very poor ending. somebody tell Woody that jazz guitar players do not smash up their guitars - it just doesn`t happen.
I will buy the CD of the music but never watch the film again.