Bullets Over Broadway

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Tony M It starts off strong, but halfway through the film, a narration inexplicably begins, causing it to fall flat. The old adage "show, don't tell" is blatantly ignored here. The voice-over merely repeats what’s happening on screen. For instance, "And she walked on stage"—yes, we can see that. Why is the narration suddenly necessary? It adds nothing to the plot and just made me think, "Why am I wasting time on this when I could be cleaning my bathroom?" Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 06/27/24 Full Review Larry R "I'm an Artist!" yells playwright David Shayne (John Cusack) at his agent Julian Marx (Jack Warden), to start off the film. Shayne is obsessed with artistic integrity, and nobody is going to tamper with the content of his plays, no matter how badly they may need some tweaking for commercial success. Because while all of his plays are considered literary gems, they have been commercial flops. And nobody wants to back his new play financially. But then, Fate comes a-tempting. His agent bumped into an old acquaintance - a Mob boss. The Mob boss has a girlfriend, Olive, who dances as a chorus girl but dreams of being a Broadway star. And if Shayne will cast this girlfriend in a supporting role, he'll get his financing. But as Shayne finds out in his meeting with the Mob boss and Olive, this girl is very rough around the edges, and this is a very serious play. Her stage experience? As the Boss explains, "She used to wiggle at this joint in Hoboken." Shayne nearly passes out from an anxiety attack, but as Marx explains to him on their way home, he needs to be flexible if he wants his play to go on. And so begins a downward spiral of one moral compromise after another, each of them inescapable and each of them greasing the wheels of the play's success. By the end of the film, Shayne's play is a big success and Shayne himself is thoroughly sick of everything, including himself. This film is a thoroughly engrossing and terrifically entertaining dramatization of the price of success. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/24/24 Full Review John L This film sparkles with all the flavours and fun and joy that makes it worthwhile going to the movies! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/02/24 Full Review Jeff M Pure cinematic joy! As far as I'm concerned, this riotous comedy belongs on the top tier of Allen's filmography. Despite enthusiastic reviews and successful awards consideration, it still feels like one of his most underappreciated achievements. It's so hard to write capsule reviews about motion pictures like this because there's an overwhelming desire to wax rhapsodic about every precious moment. There's a small handful of movies during which I find something new to appreciate every single time. This is one of those rare examples. The cast is sheer heaven, each member having their own moments to shine and generously allowing those around them to shine just as brightly. That being said, Wiest is the film's greatest treasure, and hers is one of the best Supporting Actress wins of all time. It's a timeless performance that is a joy to behold. I also want to recognize Tracey Ullman as one of the members of the acting troupe - she is stupendous and achingly funny. And then there's Jim Broadbent as an actor with huge appetites in multiple areas of his life. And Jennifer Tilly breathing new life into the familiar role of the talentless floozie with dreams of stardom. The list goes on and on... It's shrewdly written, beautifully filmed and contains probably the best production values of any movie Allen has ever made. The time period is beautifully captured, and the period music is perfect. I love every single moment of this movie and is among my favorite re-watchables of all time. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/22/24 Full Review James B Ultimately, Allen is again trying to justify his own morality, albeit in the most cynical and hilarious way. Like in Crimes and Misdemeanors, there are two crimes being committed here, the more important of which involves artistic integrity. Don't speak! Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/21/23 Full Review dave s While it probably isn't up there with some of Woody Allen's most iconic and revered movies, Bullets Over Broadway may be one of his most flat-out entertaining films. Set in 1920's New York, David Shayne (John Cusack) is a playwright whose first play of significance is being funded by a local mobster…on the condition that the mobster's wildly untalented girlfriend is given a role. Despite it being light and fluffy, it is also filled with Allen's trademark smart dialogue. The cast is expansive (Diane Wiest, Jack Warden, Jennifer Tilly, Rob Reiner, Chazz Palminterri, to name a few), as one would expect in an Allen film, the time period details are fantastic, and Allen's direction is typically excellent, featuring more than its fair share of creative blocking and lengthy takes. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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