Product Details

• Actors: Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Uma Thurman
• Directors: Woody Allen
• Format: Anamorphic, Widescreen, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Columbia Tristar
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0019QFUT0
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,964 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Woody Allen makes beautiful music but only fitful comedy with his story of "the second greatest guitar player in the world." Sean Penn plays Emmett Ray, an irresponsible, womanizing swing guitar player in Depression-era America who is guided by an ego almost as large as his talent. "I'm an artist, a truly great artist," he proclaims time and time again, and when he plays, soaring into a blissed-out world of pure melodic beauty, he proves it. Samantha Morton almost steals the film as his mute girlfriend Hattie, a sweet Chaplinesque waif who loves him unconditionally, and Uma Thurman brings haughty moxie to her role as a slumming socialite and aspiring writer who's forever analyzing Emmett's peculiarities (like taking his dates to shoot rats at the city dump). The vignettelike tales are interspersed with comments by jazz aficionados and critics, but this is less a Zelig-like mockumentary than an extension of the self-absorbed portraits of Deconstructing Harry and Celebrity. The lazy pace drags at times and the script runs dry between comic centerpieces--the film screams for more of Allen's playful invention--but there's a bittersweet tenderness and an affecting vulnerability that is missing from his other recent work. Shot by Zhao Fei (The Emperor and the Assassin, Raise the Red Lantern), it's one of Allen's most gorgeous and colorful films in years, buoyed by toe-tapping music and Penn's gruffly charming performance. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the right version of the DVD to get if you care about correct aspect ratios!, July 6, 2010

By 

K. Gordon - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sweet And Lowdown (Rare, hard to find, OOP release with both Widescreen & Fullscreen Versions) (DVD)

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. 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.

4.0 out of 5 stars One of his best later films, but it needs extras!, January 20, 2011

By 

B. Adducchio - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sweet And Lowdown (Rare, hard to find, OOP release with both Widescreen & Fullscreen Versions) (DVD)

It's very disappointing that Woody Allen chooses not to put any extras in his DVDs. It would be great to watch a commentary by Allen explaining his choices for making a movie like this. It's an interesting film about a fictional jazz musician and his life, filled with both triumphs and heart-wrenching downfalls. Penn plays Emmett Ray, the jazz guitarist who is chronicled in the movie. Penn does a fantastic job. Samantha Morton plays his girlfriend, who he leaves to pursue his dreams of stardom, but the film leaves us believing that we should all be careful of what we wish for and not take anything, or anyone, for granted. It's one of Woody Allen's best movies of the last 20 years, and it's supported by some great performances by Penn and Morton. Worth watching if you are a fan of Woody Allen's work.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the movie, March 23, 2010

By 

H. Rendleman (Anacortes, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sweet And Lowdown (Rare, hard to find, OOP release with both Widescreen & Fullscreen Versions) (DVD)

My toes are a tapping when I listen to this. Really enjoyed the soundtrack. Saw a VHS version of the movie and, although the performances were good, didn't really enjoy the movie very much but the soundtrack is great. Really captures the era for me.