Intelligent

Rating: Null/10 (5 February 2002)

Yes, it is a smart movie, but at times it seems to pander to the pretentious with all its erudite references (I can just hear some smug ass telling his "middle-brow" acquaintances that you have to know who Marshal McLuhan and Slyvia Plath are to appreciate this film). And of course because I only saw this last night I am handicapped in enjoying its seminal aspects as I've seen them in so many other works by now. But it is hard to not notice the brilliant effort in filmmaking here. The asides to the audience, the folks in the background who suddenly interject into the dialogue, the disjointed timeline replete with flashbacks, all interesting and demonstrate Allen's esemplastic abilities as a movie creator. Though not laugh-out loud funny, the one liners are amusing and consistent. My favorite was a man on a phone at an LA party (I think it was Jeff Goldblum) who says "I forgot my mantra".