Watch this for 2 reasons: a superb supporting part by Stockard Channing and Woody Allen's best supporting role, playing Jason Biggs' more than cynical "mentor". Every line Allen recites here is a humdinger. I think it's one of his better characters. Nicely, Woody chooses not to be on screen that long himself, although that might not be a good idea, cuz Biggs seems to be trying too hard in the Woody imitation department. Christina Ricci is both irritating and unusually sexy as the screwed up love interest. She dominates most of the picture. It's like Allen drew her after one of Thomas Hardy's more insane heroines. She'll get on your nerves and turn you on in spite of it. There's future doom for you in a nutshell. Not a great movie, but it does have a lot of nice scenes in it and NY looks like a fun place to live as it always does, perhaps too ideally, in any Woody story. Again: Stockard Channing as Ricci's selfish mother is a bona fide hoot and steals the whole picture whenever she's on screen. She's like a tornado. Danny Devito as a way too lovable schlep will elicit sympathy by being too nice for his own good. Rare, seeing him play a guy who ISN'T somewhat oily first. Character driven more than plot driven, with typically keen one liners to remind you, that this isn't the usual Hollywood dreck. Hit and miss. Biggs is the weakest link, and Jimmy Fallon isn't around long enough to have an impact. (I think Fallon would have made the better lead.)
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