Micitype Pretty Good

Siflutter It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

oOoBarracuda Aside from what may have been my first Woody Allen viewing (I can't decide if I saw Midnight in Paris in theatres before seeing Annie Hall) I am not yet used to Woody Allen movies that don't also star Woody Allen. I was disappointed to realize after watching the first two acts of Bullets Over Broadway that Allen was obviously not to appear in this film. Obviously, as there is about half of his filmography that he doesn't appear in, I'll have to get over the desire to see Allen, physically, in each of his films. Bullets Over Broadway, in many ways, was not the brand of Woody Allen film I was accustomed to. The 1994 film explores the Woody Allen character played in an extraordinary way by John Cusack as a playwright who struggles with the casting decisions necessary to get his play produced. When the mob gets involved in influencing his choices in exchange for the successful production of the play, Cusack's character must navigate through maze most artists grapple with in the balance between creating for themselves and creating for the masses of society. Bullets Over Broadway is a fantastic look at artistic struggle that just wasn't as much of a Woody Allen film as I would have preferred.

ElMaruecan82 Never underestimate Woody Allen's capability to surprise you. The first act "Bullets Over Broadway" didn't put my expectations very high, until an expected little twist in the middle transformed everything and contributed to one of Woody Allen's most fascinating secondary characters.The film opens in the 1928 Broadway, with one cinematic archetype following another. John Cusack is David Shayne, a young playwright. Convinced of his artistic genius, he's your typical struggling newcomer trying to impose his unique style. Not a revolutionary character, Cusack almost replays some mimics of Allen's neurotic writer, only differing physically, with his tall frame canceled by his constantly hunched demeanor, he's handsome enough to make his sex-appeal believable. Although with such a title as "God of Our Fathers", the line between the very talent he claims to have and a sort of pompous pseudo-intellectual vibe is very thin, but we give him the benefit of the doubt.Anyway, Shayne's manager, played by Jack Warden, finds a generous heart accepting to finance the play. Not your typical patron of art, the man is Valenti, a mobster played by the irreplaceable Joe Viterelli. Theater is not his cup of tea but who cares, he's absolutely in love with Olive, his girlfriend, a dancer as ambitious as she's talentless. With her nasal voice, voluptuous forms and misplaced self-satisfaction, Jennifer Tilly revives the performance of Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont in "Singin' in the Rain", with –I don't think that was even possible- a much more horrible voice. And no one can even say a word against her, all through the rehearsals, she's chaperoned by a bodyguard named Cheech, one of Viterelli's button-man, more at ease with playing craps and disposing of some bodies, than enduring Shayne's intellectual junk.To go on and on with archetypes, Shayne lives with Ellen, his caring girlfriend, played by Mary Louise Parker, but she lacks the flamboyance and charisma of her soon-to-be rival, Helen Sinclair. Sinclair is the obligatory diva, who played so much plays, worked with so many writers (always the best) that all her characters spill over her mannerisms. If Jennifer Tilly is a dead-on Lina Lamont, Dianne Weist Sinclar is a perfect Norma Desmond, an actress so wrapped up in her ego, she oozes a natural commanding presence, when she orders Shayne 'Don't speak' with a voice as low as possible, he knows it's an act, but still, he has no choice but obeying. Both Tilly and Wiest's performance earned them two deserved Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress (Wiest won). But had the film only relied on these performances and the great roles of Jim Broadbent and Tracey Ullman, the result would have been a charming little comedy, with no impact whatsoever.To give you an idea, there's a moment when Shayne has a drink with Sinclair, she orders two martinis, in fact the two martinis were for her. The gag is cleverly written, it's funny, but coming from Woody Allen, it didn't have that extra little spice I expected, granted the film is magnificently directed, with costumes and art-directing revisiting the roaring twenties with exuberance, there was not much to hook our hearts on. But then, in the middle of one rehearsal, when the actors and Shayne have an argument about the script, Cheech intervenes. The thug who exuded intimidation and street-smart force, suggests a little revision to the play, and guess what, it works. I knew Chazz Palminteri was Oscar-nominated for this role, I thought he would play in the stage, I thought everything except the fact that he would reveal the genius Shayne obviously lacks.Then the movie took off and turned into a clever and insightful commentary about the meaning of being an artist, creating an oeuvre and being so passionate about it that you wouldn't let anything undermine it, anyone interfere with it. It's about the conflict tormenting a man who tries to be an artist, only to be confronted to another who's genuinely an artist, much more a genius. The romantic subplot involving Shayne and Sinclair takes a whole new importance to the story. When Shayne discusses with his friend Sheldon (Rob Reiner) about it, Sheldon makes one of the most unforgettable statement from any Woody Allen's film: "an artist creates his own moral universe". It seems like an alibi to justify the craziest actions committed by an artist, in fact, it echoes the very actions committed by Cheech, out of love and passion for his work, that will push to the extreme the notion of "moral universe". The brilliance of the script is that Cheech' actions illustrate both what he is and what Shayne is not.And again, Woody Allen is able to transcend usual movie archetypes and illustrate through them the deepest torments invading the heart of artists and wannabe artists. Woody Allen shows the gap between those who got the talent, and those who don't, and he's so talented that he's even able to create a great character who realizes that he doesn't have the talent. The ending of "Bullets Over Broadway" is not the apotheosis we expected, but it's not a downer either. Shayne is finally able to realize what counts for him and what doesn't, it's about knowing oneself and acting in consequence. It's about responsibility, and the level of maturity expressed in the ending is so unexpected it does highlight the hidden genius of the script.And as nothing is gratuitous in a great script, first, its greatness relies on a fascinating contradiction, and I'll never forget the thug with writing genius played by Chazz Palminteri. And even a cute inoffensive gag like Olive not remembering what came after Hamlet's "To be…" is a subtle reference to the main conflict of the film.To be an artist or not to be an artist, … to be or not to be, and "Bullets Over Broadway" provides some of the smartest answers to that eternal question.

namashi_1 Mr.Cinema aka Woody Allen delivers one of his finest films in 'Bullets Over Broadway', a delicious comedy, that's magnificently written, sharply directed & amazingly performed. Its humorous cinema at its finest hour!'Bullets Over Broadway' Synopsis: In 1920s New York, a struggling playwright is forced to cast a mobster's talentless girlfriend in his latest drama in order to get it produced.'Bullets Over Broadway' is a delicious comedy, that's magnificently written by Allen & Douglas McGrath. The characters, the entire set-up is so interesting & funny, that there is hardly a moment when the film falters. Allen's Direction is sharp! Cinematography by Carlo DiPalma is excellent. Editing is good.Performance-Wise: Dianne Wiest won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress & she deserved too. She delivers a career best performance. John Cusack is fantastic. Seriously, why is he so under-rated? Jennifer Tilly is marvelous, while Chazz Palminteri takes an unforgettable turn. Jack Warden is always terrific. Mary-Louise Parker leaves a mark. Tracey Ullman & Jim Broadbent are outstanding.On the whole, 'Bullets Over Broadway' is a must see.

runamokprods Not deep, but very, very funny. Wonderfully written and splendidly acted, especially by Diane Wiest in a wild and hysterical role. John Cusack does his usual extremely solid work as the straight man holing it all togetherAmazing 1930s production design by Santo Loquasto. The film has a nice, dark edge to off-set the wacky, farcical tone. The very end is a bit sappy, but it also leaves the film with an interesting moral complexity.Not quite great Woody Allen, but extremely good Woody Allen, which means great by most film-making standards.