VHS : The Love Letter [1999]

Rating: - Disappointing stab at satire from Woody Allen
Hollywood Ending sees Woody Allen playing a nervous film director (an acting stretch, I know) whose best years are a long way behind him (quiet, you!). Lucky for him, he's offered a chance to turn his career around; unlucky for him, it means working with his ex-wife and the man who stole her away. As if this weren't bad enough, Allen comes down with a case of hysterical blindness, meaning he has to direct a big budget studio film while being unable to see. Slight hilarity ensues.

What you get with this one is an attempt at satire, with Allen getting in a few jabs at mainstream Hollywood, so a certain amount of exaggeration is to be expected. Problem is, he pushes things much too far, and it becomes impossible to accept that no one involved in the making of a multi-million dollar film would notice Allen's blindness, even when he falls over things and stares off in the wrong direction while talking to people. The joke produces a few decent laughs, but it's too far fetched to work as satire. Ironically, I was reminded of Alan Alda's comically pompous advice from Crimes & Misdemeanours: "If it bends, it's funny. If it breaks, it's not."

Sorry Woody, but you broke it this time. You should have listened to Alan Alda.

The resulting film isn't all bad, though. There are some decent one-liners, and I enjoyed Debra Messing's funny turn as Allen's too young and not too bright girlfriend ("What's she got a Phd in, history of gym?"). Unfortunately, the rest of the cast is unusually weak, and Hollywood Ending also suffers because of the inevitable comparisons to another, far superior swipe at Hollywood, Robert Altman's The Player.

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Rating: - NO WONDER THE FILM INDUSTRY'S IN TROUBLE!
This is a great and highly underrated Allen film which had me laughing out loud quite a few times. It is astounding that no UK Distributor would bring this film out when they are quite happy to release so many other mediocre efforts just because they star Colin Farrell and the like. Import this DVD and enjoy a light hearted look at Hollywood movie making. And keep 'em coming Woody - the show's not over yet!

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Rating: - Easy to watch smile inducing...
I love this movie. The well chosen cast are superb at creating a perfect mood and motion to this charming story. I pop it on every now and then and a smirk always comes to my face.

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Rating: - Hilarious
Hilarious

In an interview that I recently read, Allen admitted that this was a film he was happy with, which by all accounts is something, coming from a self-confessed critic. I thought it was hysterical. I laughed out loud all the way through, and am so pleased that I can find a copy to buy. I am confused and bewildered by the critics, who rated this movie unjustifiably badly. I think it’s one of his best yet!

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Rating: - One of Allen's funniest movies
This film would have been a classic if it had been made in Allen's career peak of the 70s when he made Manhattan, Annie Hall etc. The script is sharp and the gags are very funny. I watched it with mum and brother and it was "lough out loud" all around. I note that some critics in the USA panned it, I suppose Allen is now much older and the delivery is not quite as sharp as when he was making the likes of Manhattan Murder Mistery which is also in my mind one of his funniest, but it nevertheless belongs to the same genre of combined witty dialogue as well as slapstick comedy. I'm glad I bought this DVD and my worries about it were dispelled. It will a be a real bonus to any collection of Allen DVDs.