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Anything Else (2003)
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Reviews Counted:129
Fresh:52
Rotten:77
Average Rating:5.1/10
Consensus: Too many elements from better Woody Allen films are being recycled here.
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci star as a mismatched couple in Woody Allen's funny and well-made romantic comedy ANYTHING ELSE. Biggs plays Jerry Falk, a young comedy writer looking to make it big,... Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci star as a mismatched couple in Woody Allen's funny and well-made romantic comedy ANYTHING ELSE. Biggs plays Jerry Falk, a young comedy writer looking to make it big, while Ricci is Amanda, a self-absorbed free spirit whom men go wild for. They fall for each other instantly near the beginning of the film, then spend the rest of the movie trying to work out their very complex and complicated relationship, especially after her mother (Stockard Channing) moves in to their small apartment to live with them. With echoes of such classic Allen fare as ANNIE HALL, ANYTHING ELSE is a lighthearted look at young love in the Big Apple. Allen himself stars as David Dobel, an older comedy writer who mentors Jerry, often on walks through Central Park, but it seems that Dobel has a bit of an anger management problem. Once again, New York City is virtually a character unto itself, as Allen includes scenes in such Gotham places as the Village Vanguard jazz club, Isabella's restaurant, Roosevelt Island, Sheepshead Bay, and the Quad Cinema. Good supporting work is turned in by Danny DeVito as Falk's manager. The soundtrack includes songs by Billie Holiday, Ravi Shankar, Teddy Wilson, Lester Young, Moby, and Diana Krall, who appears in the film. [More]
Starring: Jason Biggs, Christina Ricci, Stockard Channing, Danny DeVito
Starring: Jason Biggs, Christina Ricci, Stockard Channing, Danny DeVito, Jimmy Fallon, Woody Allen, Fisher Stevens, Adrian Grenier, Diana Krall
Director: Woody Allen
Director: Woody Allen
Screenwriter: Woody Allen
Producer: Letty Aronson
Studio: DreamWorks Distribution LLC
Reviews for Anything Else
The script is quite entertaining as it plays with the idea of writing and artistic creation. But the plot itself is mildly annoying and seriously dull.
Woody Allen tries to extend the shelf-life of his screen persona by hiring a younger, more marketable actor
It feels oddly long for a Woody Allen picture, but its relaxed, casual air gives the humor room to breathe, and a gratifyingly high proportion of the piled-up one-liners actually raise a laugh.
Has its share of funny moments and shows off New York City to great advantage.
While no one will mistake Anything Else as being worthy of comparison to Allen’s best work, it’s refreshing to see the bespectacled genius lay his cards out on the table once again.
Ricci is perfectly cast, and seems to relish her character's blend of cruelty and cluelessness.
If you didn't know it was an Allen movie, you'd think it was the work of a young director who's having a gas using split screens and exploring what a freeze-frame might mean (Allen does both here, and both work effortlessly).
Filled with the sort of sharp, dirty laughs and biting observations on life, love and sex for which the director, in his youth, was once fearlessly known.
The younger casting brings a freshness to the material and, with Allen as the weird mentor, there are plenty of laughs, even if the pacing's slow and the running time over-extended.
Oy! Another Woody comedy about a neurotic making the Manhattan scene.
Latest News for Anything Else
September 18, 2003:
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