Customer Reviews

Sweet and Lowdown [VHS]

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Throughout history, especially when the world was a much bigger place, before the time that whenever a "celebrity" sneezed it was front page tabloid news, how many truly great artists-- those of genius, even-- went unknown, unheralded and unrecognized to the end? Perhaps there was another Monet in our midst who, for whatever reason, was never noticed; who can say with any certainty there was not, or is not? It's a consideration writer/director Woody Allen examines in his often humorous, and more often poignant, "Sweet and Lowdown," starring Sean Penn and Samantha Morton. In it, Allen chronicles the life of the fictitious Emmet Ray (Penn), who just may have been the second greatest guitar player in the world during the `30s.

Allen employs the effective (in his hands) storytelling device of "interviews" with those who knew Ray in one capacity or another, to fill in the gaps as he attempts to draw a picture of this talented genius, about whom very little is really known. Only a handful of recordings-- made during the final years-- remain of who and what Ray is, or was. The portrait that comes into focus is that of a man, who though gifted as a musician, had a bit more trouble when it came to living his day to day life. Self-centered, irresponsible and taken to drink, he was something of a lowdown character. Then, one day in Atlantic City, Ray meets a sweet, young girl, Hattie (Morton), and they begin a relationship of sorts. The problem is, Ray is a self professed free spirit, an artist, who goes where he wants and does what he wants. Not exactly conducive to a sold relationship. But inbetween, there's the music; and, as Ray himself will tell anyone who will listen, he's the best guitar player in the world, with the possible exception of this "gypsy in France, "-- Django Reinhardt. And so, for your consideration, this is Emmet Ray-- the story of the man, and the woman who loved him.

Told in his inimitable, signature style, Allen presents his fiction in humanistic terms that bring Emmet Ray and his times to life in transporting fashion. He successfully captures the essence and ambience of the era, just as he did with "Radio Days," in 1987. This time period-- circa 1930-- is something of Allen's forte, in fact. Few contemporary directors in even fewer films have managed to depict it so vividly and believably as Allen has here. Through Ray, he takes you into the life itself, behind the scenes, as it were, and gives you a real sense of what these times were all about. And, in conjunction with the interviews that lead to the flash-backs, it makes Ray seem as real as any figure in history you'd come to know through the respective media of film or print. The story is engaging and devoid of pretense, and Allen tempers his own ego and presents it in a way that makes this one, arguably, one of his best films.

Penn, who should have won an Oscar for his work in "Dead Man Walking," received a Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of Emmet Ray, and deservedly so, though he was edged out by Kevin Spacey, who received the award for "American Beauty" that year (Russell Crowe was also in the running for "The Insider"-- quite a year!). There were no losers that year, however (as they say), as-- the award business aside-- Penn's performance is one of the most affecting of his career. The Ray he presents is a total, well-rounded and three-dimensional character. Watching him is like seeing the history of someone unfold before your eyes; not an actor, but a very real person, complete with every detail and flaw of his day to day existence. It's terrific work that, with Allen's guidance, immerses you totally in the story and in Ray's life.

As Hattie, Samantha Morton is like the second coming of Giulietta Masina; like Fellini's wife and star, she is wonderfully expressive and able to convey so much with a movement of her eyes or just a glance, so reminiscent of Masina's Gelsomina in "La Strada." And though outwardly Hattie is fairly reserved, Morton leaves no doubt that within her there is need and desire, but with little expectation. This is a young woman who is vulnerable and has known pain; someone with whom you readily empathize. When she hooks up with Ray, it quickly becomes a matter of concern, because you care for Hattie, and from the outset you realize that this relationship is going to be fragile, at best. It's an inspired performance that landed Morton a nomination for Best Supporting Actress-- and she certainly deserved it (ultimately, it went to Angelina Jolie for "Girl, Interrupted").

Uma Thurman turns in a memorable performance, as well, as Blanche, a writer who crosses paths with Ray and has a significant impact on his life. Thurman makes Blanche credible, and she looks amazing, too. The "'30s" look suits her extremely well, and cinematographer Zhao Fei (who did a magnificent job with this entire film) captures her best angles and achieves what just may be the best presentation of Thurman in any film yet. It's a supporting, but pivotal role, and Thurman does it quite well.

The supporting cast includes Anthony LaPaglia (Al Torrio), Dan Moran (Boss), Brian Markinson (Bill Shields), Tony Darrow (Ben), Gretchen Mol (Ellie), John Waters (Mr. Haynes), Brad Garrett (Joe Bedloe), Carolyn Saxon (Phyliss) and Molly Price (Ann). When Woody Allen is "on," his films are insightful and entertaining, and while subtle, are vibrantly alive. All of which is the case with "Sweet and Lowdown," in which he demonstrates-- his own personal neuroses notwithstanding-- his grasp and understanding of human nature-- what it is that underneath it all really makes people tick. He's no Ingmar Bergman, but at his best, he's at least a reasonable facsimile. And this IS on of his best. It's the magic of the movies.

All the rumors you hear about Penn's being such the best actor of his generation must be true. In performance after performance, he becomes whomever he needs to become, whether Death Row convict ("Dead Man Walking") or eccentric lover veering into mental illness ("She's So Lovely") or, in this film, Emmet Ray, a jazz guitarist in the early part of the 20th century. I could swear Penn really knows how to play a guitar like Django R, he's so convincing as Emmet Ray! Ray excuses any atrocious behavior he engages in by his standard line to everyone, "But I'm an artist," reminding us of John Cusack's similar role in Woody Allen's "Bullets Over Broadway." Samantha Morton shines as Ray's girlfriend, a mute laundress. Uma Thurman plays the vamp while wearing a stunning wardrobe from the 1920s. Oscar nominations for Penn and Morton were well deserved and, regardless of how you feel about Woody Allen these days, the film stands on its own, especially with the bravura acting ability of Penn and the luminosity of Morton. Allen makes a brief appearance as a narrator in the film but is not a character in it. Penn does NOT play Woody Allen in the film, which is what Allen has been accused of making his leading men do in his most recent films. I have no doubt that Penn COULD play Woody Allen if he wanted to do so but in this film he is Emmet Ray, right down to his toes.

A Woody Allen masterpiece and although I love Woody Allen, I don't say that about all his movies. I was especially impressed with the acting and the complex characters presented in the film. Sean Penn plays Emmet Ray, an incredibly talented Jazz guitarist who is every bit aware of it (annoyingly so) and uses every opportunity to boast about how he is one of the best guitarists in the world, second only to the great Django Reinhart. Yet, this fact seems to be one that haunts him constantly and keeps him insecure and vulnerable despite all the fronts he puts up. His love life is also one to ponder. Ray is a brutish, uncaring, and unfaithful lover to every woman he has ever known. He does not change his ways much, even after he meets the right woman, Hattie, played by Samantha Morton. Hattie is a mute girl which seems to be right up Ray's alley, since she never questions or challenges him as his other girlfriend's had. Hattie's sweetness and unwavering devotion to Ray ironically are not really perceived as signs of weakness but rather almost elevate Hattie to somewhat of a modern-day heroine who, through her love, is able to transform the ways of Ray to make him want to be a better man.

It's such a shame that Woody Allen's films just aren't opened to the large audiences anymore. Sweet and Lowdown, Allen's latest comedic invention, is a film that seems to go back to style of comedic farce and character study that Woody took on in his first major films. At times a mock documentary in the vein of "Take the Money and Run" and "Zelig", Sweet and Lowdown is a more mature film that has a lot more notes to it than the early movies. This film also features something that no other Allen film has had - a truly transformative performance from an actor. Sean Penn and Allen paint such a quircky and complex character that I actually left the theatre thinking Emmitt Ray must have been a real person. Surely no filmakers and actor could come up with such a figure. But alas they did and this is the magic of this film which also features great supporting work and good music to boot.

Is being a great artist licence to be a despicable human? (Though to be fair, the character played by Sean Penn is not wholly despicable. ) In any case that's one theme that lingers over this fine work. Mr Allen's love of music, of his characters, of being American, illuminates this film.
Familiar but unexpected, quirky and wry, this is a film to relish and is very much a visual, musical, cinematic delight. For an individual who allegedly hates the automobile have some of them every looked so wondrous as in this film? Worth owning.

I think only a filmmaker like Woody Allen could of pulled off a movie like this. Everyone, whether your an Allen fan or not, knows his love for music of the 20's and 30's. It's because of his knowledge about jazz and outstanding filmmaking ability that "Sweet and Lowdown" proved to be one of the best films of 1999! The movie centers around a fictitious jazz guitarist named Emmet Ray, who as the film goes on we learn is the second greatest jazz guitarist in the world, except for "some gypsy from paris". Allen tries his hardest to make us believe everything we see on screen, I know people who after seeing this movie actually thought that Emmet Ray existed. But we learn a lot about Emmet, when he plays his music, it's the most beautiful thing you've ever heard, but when his not playing jazz, he's one of the most screwed up people you'll ever meet. We find out he's a drunk, a kleptomanaic,and a pimp among other things. But most people forgive him for all his "bad sides" as soon as he starts to play his guitar. This is a theme Allen worked on in "Deconstructing Harry". That of the artist only being able to function properly in his\her art but not in life itself. And after watching the movie it's hard to think of anyone else besides Sean Penn acting in the role of Emmet Ray. Penn delivers an Oscar worthy performance, that in my opinion,should have gotten him the Oscar. Penn really had to show his wide range as an actor to pull off this role. It's a character that demands great skill to play. Samantha Morton plays Hattie, who turns out to be the one true love of his life, only when he realizes it, it's too late, this makes for the very emotional scene at the end. Even though the role of Hattie is that of a mute, Morton managed to steal every scene she's in! Playing the role of a mute is difficult for any actor or actress due to the fact your not able to express yourself with words. But Morton's mere facial expressions tell us everything we need to know about the way she's feeling. Now as I said before Allen tried to make us believe everything we saw on screen this is due to the fact that actually jazz aficionados were seen in the movie, for example we see Nat Hentoff, Ben Duncan and Allen collaborator Douglas McGrath. The costume designs and production designs in the film should have been up for Oscars. They truly represent that time period of the 20's and 30's. And of course the music played by Howard Alden is played in the style you hear other musicians of that time play. In short this is a movie that should please everyone who watches it. Despite that fact if your an Allen fan or not. But it does help if your an Allen and jazz fan to begin with. Good performances by Uma Thurman( who wasn't given enough screen time I thought) and Anthony LaPaglia in supporting roles. And an outstanding score including songs like "There'll Be Some Changes Made","Limehouse Blues", "I'll See You In My Dreams", and "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams". This is a movie that the Academy overlooked in many catergories, and should not be overlooked by the public. A truly unforgettable film by one of America's greatest comedy filmmakers.

I was lucky enough to see Woody Allen's 1999 release "Sweet and Lowdown" in the theater, twice in fact! I say "lucky" not only because this is an enjoyable and clever film, but because the film only played for a short while, and mainly in small "arthouse" theaters. This is really a shame, because "Sweet and Lowdown" could easily have appealed to wide audience, and not only to those who frequent Woody Allen films. This is the bittersweet tale of Emmett Ray, a fictional depression-era jazz guitar legend who is cursed with an ego of truly IMMENSE proportions! Arrogant ol' Emmett would love you to believe that he is the greatest musician to ever strap on a guitar, but his love/hate relationship with real-life guitar legend Django Reinhardt gives us a hint of his underlying insecurity. Emmett, played with utter precision by Sean Penn, is the kind of self-worshiping, self-absorbed "artist" who walks all over those close to him without really noticing them. The flippant way in which Emmett treats the women in his life is downright disgraceful, and is sometimes even painful to watch thanks to Penn's expert acting. The story is told in a sort of PBS doumentary style, with several "jazz experts" (including Woody Allen as himself) providing much of the details of his life through on-camera interviews and voice over narration. The story follows the ups and downs (mostly downs) of Emmett's musical career and private life, and gives us both lighthearted comedy and subtle food-for-thought along the way. Emmett is a man completely out of touch with his own emotions, and the film realistically portrays the outworkings of an artistic ego running out-of-control. A highlight of "Sweet and Lowdown" is the stellar performance of British actress Samantha Morton as one of Emmett's put-upon lady friends, an all-too-understanding mute girl named Hattie. Morton lights up the screen with her unusual screen presence, and in the course of the story she wins us over with her genuine sweetness. (Was the title "Sweet and Lowdown" meant to refer to the unbalanced relationship between Hattie and Emmett?). As you would expect from a film written and directed by Woody Allen, the dialogue is sharp throughout, and the films visual style keeps the story moving forward in a positive way. If you are looking for an alternative to all of the standard Hollywood fare of today, then "Sweet and Lowdown" may be just what you are looking for!

Woody Allen is know for any number of things: inventive, brilliant comedies; less than popular serious films; his love of Manhattan; his love of Jazz. In Sweet and Lowdown, he combines a documentary and period filmmaking to great effect. Sean Penn expertly plays Emmett Ray, the world-second greatest guitar player during the great depression. The character is full of ego, booze, talent and humor and it's pulled off without a hitch by Penn and is supported by a solid cast. As is the case with many of Allen's films, a cerebral investment is required from the viewer - this isn't an example of Allen's earlier screwball comedy. All in all, another wonderful film from Woody Allen.

Whether it's the quirky antics of Emmett Ray (Penn) or the wonderfully, understated affection of Hattie (Morton), this movie manages to strike a chord with a host of movie audiences. The story, about the second-greatest guitar player in the world and his tragic life as a musician/womanizer, is made even more interesting by the biographical method that Allen uses to unfold the story. What is particularly interesting about this approach is to note how every person sounds almost magical when talked about by fans and others-to witness their (often) destructive lives is something far different. Additionally, Allen's humor penetrates the film, but it is not distracting. In fact, in most places, it serves to make the "storytelling" style of the film more enjoyable to watch.

Samantha Morton's performance as Hattie (a mute lover of Emmett's) is absolutely superb. I find myself leaning forward towards the screen, as if expecting her to speak at any moment. Morton manages to leap along just fine without any dialogue; her performance is believable and is truly one of the most endearing aspects of the film. One feels for Emmett's loss and tragedy, but it is nothing compared to the emotion one feels for Hattie's character.

A fan of Woody Allen will certainly enjoy this film and those that have given up on Allen in recent years will find this film to be a nice change. Great acting, a charming story, and a modern day tragedy. All of this plus some great jazz and guitar playing make this film worth a look.

Despite falling a little flat (in my opinion) as a comedy, this is still quite an entertaining film. Sean Penn gives a fine performance as the fictitious Emmet Ray, supposedly the second best jazz guitarist in the world after the amazing Django Reinhardt. (I wonder if the name might not be a takeoff on "Eddie Lang," who actually was the second best guitarist after Django in the 1930s.) The music alone makes this film worth watching --- and if you like those great old swing tunes on guitar, you're sure to love the original classics by the master Django Reinhardt himself. If you aren't already familiar with Django's music, the best place to start is with the wonderful (and skillfully digitally remastered) 5-CD box set called "The Classic Early Recordings in Chronological Order." Enjoy!