The Film Junkie

This is a story told as a story by a group of comics trading tales about Danny Rose (Woody Allen), a nutty talent agent, over dinner at a deli in New York.  We start out with a few tidbits about Rose, the kind of deluded clients he represented, how he used to be a comic himself, and then he are prepared for “the greatest of all Danny Rose stories”.

Most of the film is the telling of this story of how Rose gets involved with Tina Vitale (Mia Farrow playing utterly against type), a mob princess who is sleeping with his biggest client.  Tina and Danny must escape various mobsters who are convinced that she left their brother for Danny, though he is only a ‘beard’.

Something I have always felt strange about when watching Allen with women on screen is the creepy way he hits on them, thankfully we are saved that here.  Instead he brings smarmy to a whole new level and constantly calls everyone “darling”.

The film is all right, however considering it is being narrated by comics, it isn’t all that funny.  It is a delight to watch Farrow play the sort of character that would be one of Carmela’s friends on ‘The Sopranos’, but Allen gets aggravating very early on.

The resolution is fine, if predictable, but I was left with the feeling that this would have been a nice short film as it lacks the staying power of a feature.

Grade: B

I am not a big Ron Howard fan.  Most of his films come out like Speilberg lite, however this is more Zemeckis if anything and it suits him.

The story of a mermaid and a man who fall in love is all total fantasy of course, but it also a sweet story about unexpected love and society focus on dissection rather than understanding.

Tom Hanks is at his young, charming best in this role.  He is funny, but you see the leading man emerging.  John Candy is hilarious as ever as Hanks’ over-bearing party-boy brother.  I forgot how much I missed Candy, this movie brought it all back. 

I am not big on Daryl Hannah either, but she suits this role.  I’m not sure if that is a compliment.

This movie is like a grown up fairytale.  It is fun to watch because it is so unbelievable and sometimes I think we really need to suspend our disbelief, if just for a few hours.

Grade: B+