oOoBarracuda Nestled in between two films that did almost nothing for me is a little-known gem, Anything Else. The film, released in 2003 starring Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci follows a doomed romance between a couple of neurotic individuals as they are finding their way in life chasing careers and happiness. Anything Else, written and directed by Woody Allen, is a prime example that there is something in Woody Allen's filmography for anyone. If you don't care for the reimagining of one life into both a comedy and a tragedy, or a scathing look at the personalities that are behind the Hollywood machine, then there's a romantic tragi-comedy in between. Again I'm stunned at the claim that Woody Allen is a one-dimensional filmmaker who repeatedly tells the same story. Woody has played with his story structure, genre-jumped, and embarked on many artistic exercises all the while maintaining his laser focus on life's big questions through his perfectly-penned scripts. Jerry Falk (Jason Biggs) is just beginning his career as a comedy writer under the mentorship of David Dobel (Woody Allen). Dobel, as he is referred to, has gone through a couple of careers, successfully holding himself back from pursuing comedy full time. Jerry and Dobel meet daily to discuss avenues for their comedy writing, as well as all of life's many issues. The main issue they seem to always discuss is the fact that Jerry has a problem severing ties with anyone. Jerry's still with the same leach of a manager he's been with his entire professional life, he remains in a relationship that he has been unhappy with for some time and continues to pay for meetings with a psychoanalyst who barely pays attention to Jerry during his sessions. Needless to say, Jerry has a problem cutting off relationships, even if they don't serve him. Early on in the film, we see Jerry meet Amanda (Christina Ricci) who is dating one of his friends at the time, and the two instantly fall in love. Jerry breaks the 4th wall to let the audience know that his relationship doesn't work out, however, and the rest of the film explores what caused their relationship to deteriorate and how Jerry can best approach the rest of his life to avoid reliving the disappointments he has already experienced. What I wouldn't give to be in Jerry's position and be able to occupy a park bench and have daily conversations with Woody Allen about philosophy. Although I dispel the notion that Woody Allen is a one- dimensional filmmaker, there are certain aspects of his craft that remain the same throughout each of his films, to the benefit of the audience. Certainly, no one would complain that Woody Allen's perfectly biting scripts, or his heavily jazz-influenced scores, or his willingness to explore the medium he chose continue to pop up through his entire filmography. I appreciate that Woody Allen continued to play with the story structure of his films and reuse those experiments that work. I've noted before that I enjoy a well- done breaking of the 4th wall, and Woody is certainly a director that can utilize that method effectively. What I also enjoy that others seem not to, is how Woody is constantly grappling with the issues in life he personally struggles with. Life's meaning has been grappled with through film in a number of different ways, and I don't think Woody's method should be looked down upon because it largely does so through comedy. A few of Woody Allen's films in a row, I've discovered through this retrospective project, have dealt with the idea of relationships and regret. Again in Anything Else we meet a protagonist who admits that he enters a relationship that is doomed to fail before it ever begins. Is this an exploration of the belief that self-sabotage saves us true disappointment? Could it be indicative of an idea that relationships limit the essential human spirit, effectively ending the pursuit of life's meaning because once a relationship begins we fill our lives with distractions and stop considering purpose? I can't pretend to know what Woody Allen is going for in his films, but I can say that I am happy he keeps exploring his ideas through his art.

callanvass Maybe I just didn't get it. But I really don't see how anyone could thoroughly like this movie. Everyone in this movie is so selfish. The two main characters, Jerry (Biggs) & Amanda (Ricci) do one selfish thing after another in this movie. Amanda is especially excruciating. It has your typical witty dialog that I've become accustomed to when it comes to Woody Allen films. It's set up nicely, I just wish they were more likable. I realize we all have our ism's, but these people take the cake. Jerry has to have things precisely the way he wants them all the time. I can relate to that, because I'm kinda like that as well. I hate when plans go awry, but the way he goes about it irritated me. His character has no backbone, he constantly puts up with Amanda's ludicrous behavior, and it got to the point where I no longer cared. I like Jason Biggs. He'll never be considered a great actor, but I do like him. He seemed a bit out-of-place in this movie, not sure on how to play the role. He felt like Jim Levenstein, his American Pie character, only in a Woody Allen movie. He has moments where he does terrific work, others where he seems lost. He does well, all things considered. Nobody expected him to be cast in a Woody Allen movie, so he deserves all the credit in the world for even succeeding half the time. I did smile when he broke the fourth wall as well by talking to the camera. Christina Ricci plays her role well, but she infuriated me beyond belief. This woman is incorrigible in this movie. She doesn't care about anyone but herself, she lies through her teeth, and uses fake BS when she gets backed into a corner, not to mention her weird attraction to her father (!). The worst for me is when she reams Jerry for not wanting to snort cocaine up his nose, because he never goes with the moment. I was tempted to shut it off right then and there, but I only had 15 minutes left. Woody Allen is amusing in spades. I chuckled at his use of vocabulary. He had good chemistry with Biggs as well. Stockard Channing is OK as Ricci's mom. Danny DeVito & Jimmy Fallon also have roles. The ending was somewhat satisfactory for me, I got what I wanted, I was just so turned off by the two leads, especially Amanda. It's not that this movie is bad, just very unlikable. Many will probably like this, but I wasn't one of them. I will give it merit, though5.5/10

Steve Pulaski Woody Allen always finds a way to connect with the mildly-neurotic writer inside me. Few filmmakers' works connect with me on such a personal, reclusive level and this is the third film Allen has made that has had left me truly fulfilled and confident in what I do. It shows me what I possibly have in store, how intellectuals function in a society driven by impulsive idiocy, and further prepares me for the incredibly long road I have ahead of me if I want to accomplish my dream of becoming a full-time film critic.Now that we have entertained a more cheeky, impatient society, Allen films are viewed one of two ways; as masterpieces or as flops. That's all there is to it. Anything Else was a flop and was thin, already digested soup when it was released in 2003. It didn't break any new ground, and most longtime Allen fans were discouraged at the director's inability to experiment or roll the dice and take a gamble on a formula he so effortlessly reworked with Annie Hall in 1977, another film focusing on an insecure and paranoid romance. People forgot that the director took the ground he had and danced on it gleefully, attempting to speak to a whole new generation about the long idea of being "in love," and how people sugarcoat their lives to believe they have everything figured out when they are too afraid to say they are helplessly lost in the woods of despair.The film focuses on Jerry Falk, played by Jason Biggs, an aspiring writer residing in New York City. Falk is dating the high-maintenance, frequently agonizing Amanda (Ricci) who consistently holds him back and keeps him cemented in a life where he is relentlessly unsatisfied. Jerry is self-aware about his problem and knows exactly what it is; he can't end anything. Once he starts, he is afraid to ruffle his sheets or make any attempt to rework his life. We all can relate in some way. It reminds me of a quote said by Jeff Anderson's Randal in Kevin Smith's Clerks. While talking to his buddy Dante about his current problems in life, Randal coldly but optimistically tells Dante "you need to s*** or get off the pot," meaning either act or move on. Make changes or stick with what you have. Jerry is stuck on the pot, wanting to s***, but ill-equipped.Jerry's best friend in New York is an older gentleman named David Dobel, played by Allen himself. Dobel is responsible for guiding Jerry through relationships and hardships keenly and calmly. He is very complex, always speaking with long, broad words and uttering quotes of various possible meanings. He isn't subtle, but his advice can usually be rendered simple if contemplated long enough. Both Dobel and Jerry engage in long walks through Central Park after every twenty minutes or so to discuss the events that just went by and try to work out a regular solution. Dobel consistently tells Jerry to leave Amanda for her oppressive nature, her overbearing nature, and her constant method of taking advantage of poor Jerry. Then comes the idea of Jerry not wanting to get off the pot or ruffle his feathers. Another problem comes into play; Jerry is constantly worried that Amanda has been unfaithful to him, by seeking out other men. The paranoia comes in boatloads.The story is basic, and Allen resorts back to using old morals and formulas he so openly manipulated years back. That's what a lot of people missed watching Anything Else. Its goal is to appeal and to inform a newer generation who has seen one too many cutesy, melodramatic romances. Allen's ability to create flawed characters and inject them with flaws and realism is one of the many reasons he remains un-malleable at the top of his game. I believe teenagers should see his works rather than overly cinematic Nicholas Sparks novels so genially rendered for the mainstream.Here's the personal connection I made with the film that you can feel free to discard. Anything Else showed me the long road I have ahead as an aspiring writer. The ups I will bask in and the downs I will wallow in. The enigmatic influences of my role models and the bitterness of my rivals. The conglomerate of romances I will encounter, some motivating me, others gridlocking me. Allen has opened two doors for me. The fluffy one and the one of harsh truth.Anything Else is wonderfully written and nicely conveyed, as a sweeping hundred and eight minutes race past. Biggs is strong as the archetypal Allen character, mainly portraying his insecure and pessimistic side, and Ricci's can sometimes be truly intolerable and we get a wonderful sense of sympathy after she is on screen for long periods of time. There is nothing wrong with a director, writer, or actor taking a walk down memory lane, or even reviving a formula for a new audience. Allen takes a daring leap of faith to not only construct a contemporary romance with his nostalgic values but also hardly even be shown to exist in the picture. The marketing method taken is truly insulting on his part.Starring: Jason Biggs, Christina Ricci, Woody Allen, Stockard Channing, Danny DeVito, Jimmy Fallon, and KaDee Strickland. Directed by: Woody Allen.

phd_travel Compared to the recent Woody Allen movies, this one is a bit lacking in laughs and sophistication. Still the dialog is interesting and it's pleasant enough - just won't want to watch it again. There are funny situations that we see in many of Woody's heroines for example Ricci's infidelity and the way relationships transfer from one person to the next Stockard Channing is a bit tired looking. It's like a rough draft for one of his better movies. Jason Biggs is very much his American Pie type of lead. Woody himself is a bit out of place here and he's unconvincing. Ricci is a bit unattractive for a person many are supposed to fall in love with. Overall: watch it if you are a Woody Allen fan and want to see all his movies but it really ranks pretty low in his output.