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Review:
 Woody
Allen’s latest exercise in narcissism is actually pretty good. The
jokes work, and that’s why one goes to see these thing, right?
This time Woody plays Val Waxman, a washed-up movie director
who’s currently shooting a commercial in Canada from which he will
surely be fired, as he’s an insufferable premadonna. But don’t
worry, he’s about to be saved by his ex-wife Ellie(Téa Leoni), a
movie exec who’s developing a script that’s perfect for him.
Her fiancée Hal (Treat Williams) agrees, but he knows what a
nutcase our hero is. But he goes along with it anyway, and soon
the movie begins to take shape. This is actually pretty
interesting as the process is shown in detail. The jokes come fast
and furious, as we head twards the big joke of the film, which is
that Val, who says that he could direct this thing with his eyes
closed, goes psychosomatically blind and remains so for the rest
of the film.
Nobody knows this except his agent Al (Mark Rydell) and the
cameraman’s translator (Barney Cheng) until the latter gets fired
and and Ellie has to take over and is let in on the secret. It’s
actually pretty weird, even for Woody.
What makes this thing work are the one-liners. They’re nonstop,
and they work nine times out of ten. The acting, is as always,
brilliant. From George Hamilton) and Debra Messing, who are given
too little to do, to Williams and Rydell, who’s actually a
director, everyone gives their best.
This is definitely worth the money for a matinee.
Eric Lurio
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