A sweeter, funnier Allen. One of his best.

Rating: 10/10 (28 November 2010)

Classic director Woody Allen has done some great movies. Such as Match point, Hannah and her sisters, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Mighty Aphrodite. One of my top 3 favorites of his is the underrated Sweet and lowdown, and funnier and sweeter Allen film.
Sean Penn gives a in-depth, funny performance as Emmett Ray, a fictional character. Emmett Ray is a jazz player. He's rude, mean, delusional, and kind of crazy. And likes to kill rats. And is a playboy. The film is basically a mocumentary about Emmett's triumphs, and his relationships. His relationships with Hattie(the adorable Oscar-nominee Samantha Morton), a mute laundress, and Blanche(Uma Thurman), who he gets bored with easily.
I think that the main reason the film works is the two main characters. Emmett is obviously a jerk, but he's so funny. And Hattie doesn't say a word throughout the whole film, but she's such a lovable and memorable character, you want her to be happy.
Emmett Ray is a man of mystery. Though he's a jerk, you love him. Morton and Penn really bring Sweet and lowdown it's life. Sweet and lowdown is funny, extremely entertaining, and charming. It's a different kind of Woody Allen film. It focuses on music, which I like. I think the film is perfect. The ending is too. This is an underrated, Woody Allen masterpiece.
A