Anything Else (2003)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

19 September 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

In any relationship, one person always does the heavy lifting

Plot:

A contemporary romantic comedy set in New York city about the relationship between an older guy and his younger protege. The older guy guides the younger through a messy and hilarious love story.

Plot Keywords:

Writer | New York City | Sex | Love At First Sight | Teacher

Cast

Woody Allen	...	David Dobel
Jason Biggs	...	Jerry Falk
Fisher Stevens	...	Manager
Anthony Arkin	...	Pip's Comic
Danny DeVito	...	Harvey Wexler
Christina Ricci	...	Amanda Chase
KaDee Strickland	...	Brooke
Jimmy Fallon	...	Bob
Diana Krall	...	Herself
William Hill	...	Psychiatrist
Stockard Channing	...	Paula Chase
Maurice Sonnenberg	...	Movie Theater Patron
Kenneth Edelson	...	Hotel Desk Clerk
David Conrad	...	Dr. Phil Reed
Joseph Lyle Taylor	...	Bill

Also Known As:

Anything else, la vie et tout le reste (France)
La vie et tout le reste (France)
Woody Allen Spring Project 2002 (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for a scene of drug use and some sexual references.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA | France | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (Mono) | Dolby Digital (Mono) | SDDS (Mono)

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Brazil:14 | Finland:K-7 | Germany:o.Al. | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:7 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:MA | Iceland:12 | France:U | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Long Island City, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

When Woody Allen cast 'Jason Biggs', he was under the impression that Biggs was Jewish. During filming, Allen began talking to Biggs about the Jewish holiday, Rosh Hashanah. Biggs did not know what to say and told Allen that he was in fact a Catholic. Allen said at the Venice Film Festival, "I saw him in that pie movie (American Pie) and I thought he was a Jew."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Falk types on his laptop computer, the number of (enlarged) typed lines alternates between at least five or six in close-up and just two or three at a distance.

Quotes:

David Dobel: Last night I was home alone in my apartment and I conjured up a threesome with me, Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren, and it was very very erotic. As a matter of fact if I'm not mistaken, it was the first time those two great actresses ever appeared in anything together.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Ring Two (2005)

Soundtrack:

Gone with the Wind

One of the best recent Woody films

This film is one of Woody's best. Basically is it criticised by people who don't like Woody Allen for being like all the others, or by people that do like him because it's not quite his usual story line. The only weakness is that Jason Biggs is not quite up to the task, and looks a little lacking in confidence in places. Christina Ricci is excellent as ever, and Woody does a great job playing the eccentric old man, a role that is much more appropriate to his age than many he has attempted to play since he became middle aged (20+ years ago!).

This is packed with interesting views on life, great jokes (not Woody's usual repetition of the same jokes like the "polymorphously perverse" line) and touching reflections on relationships.

Highly recommended.