After a few hit and miss, pure comedic effort, Allen's new film Anything Else follows a young comedic writer Jerry, played by Jason Biggs, through his life in New York and his relationship with a neurotic girl named Amanda played wonderfully by Christina Ricci. Amanda and Jerry meet through a double date falling in love instantly sharing many similar tastes in music in art plus a neurotic edge. Only, Jerry is a totally different person with a more down to earth simple desire than Amanda. Their relationship goes sour when Amanda's no longer sexually turned on by Jerry, In fact, she won't even try having sex with him believing he reminds her too much of her dad. Meanwhile, Jerry takes advice from his friend David, a psychotic, over paranoid writer who coaches David through life with some odd philosophic opinions. Their relationship doesn't do much progressing. Amanda's even more neurotic mother moves in taking over his writing room. David pretty much loses hope in all areas of life; even his shrink will not give him advice. The only person on his side is a nut case.
Still, Amanda doesn't want to call of the relationship, she feels she is not capable of living without Jerry. She's a contradictive person, one day she doesn't want Jerry to leave, the next she is trying to hook him up with her friend Connie.
Whether Woody likes it or not, it's inevitable that Anything else will be compared to his masterpiece Annie Hall in more bad ways than good. The similarities are striking: Amanda is basically a contemporary Annie Hall, only, ditsier and less intellectual. Their sex life is awful but at least Annie would try a little, and Jerry lacks the edginess and will to try new things, a lot like Alvy. Unfortunately, Anything Else should have been a much better movie than it is. Allen is the greatest romantic director of all time but here is unable to show it because Amanda and Jerry lack chemistry making it difficult for him to weigh the romantic aspects with a couple that has nothing in common, what so ever. It takes a psychotic, neurotic David to finally convince Jerry to spy on her. He sees Amanda kissing her acting teacher. Of course, when jerry confronts Amanda, she claims she only did it to see if she was still capable of being turned on sexually. Can a woman and man actually be together without a satisfying sexual relationship and survive completely on pure love? Sure they can, but they need more in common than Amanda and jerry Allen is the reason I really enjoyed watching this film, if you enjoy Allen's neurotic insights on philosophy and life, you will definitely be satisfied here with Allen playing his most neurotic character to date even smashing two jerks car windows in the funniest scene in the whole movie. Ultimately, Anything else would be a much better film if it was a debut of a young director. But, with the greatest romantic director behind the greatest romantic film of all time, it's tough to compensate for that without making something great. I enjoyed this movie because it's a good effort from Allen and everyone involved is A plus. Only, I wish Allen put some more time into the positive aspects of the relationship, that way I could have been more dedicated to their relationship.
Still, Amanda doesn't want to call of the relationship, she feels she is not capable of living without Jerry. She's a contradictive person, one day she doesn't want Jerry to leave, the next she is trying to hook him up with her friend Connie.
Whether Woody likes it or not, it's inevitable that Anything else will be compared to his masterpiece Annie Hall in more bad ways than good. The similarities are striking: Amanda is basically a contemporary Annie Hall, only, ditsier and less intellectual. Their sex life is awful but at least Annie would try a little, and Jerry lacks the edginess and will to try new things, a lot like Alvy. Unfortunately, Anything Else should have been a much better movie than it is. Allen is the greatest romantic director of all time but here is unable to show it because Amanda and Jerry lack chemistry making it difficult for him to weigh the romantic aspects with a couple that has nothing in common, what so ever. It takes a psychotic, neurotic David to finally convince Jerry to spy on her. He sees Amanda kissing her acting teacher. Of course, when jerry confronts Amanda, she claims she only did it to see if she was still capable of being turned on sexually. Can a woman and man actually be together without a satisfying sexual relationship and survive completely on pure love? Sure they can, but they need more in common than Amanda and jerry Allen is the reason I really enjoyed watching this film, if you enjoy Allen's neurotic insights on philosophy and life, you will definitely be satisfied here with Allen playing his most neurotic character to date even smashing two jerks car windows in the funniest scene in the whole movie. Ultimately, Anything else would be a much better film if it was a debut of a young director. But, with the greatest romantic director behind the greatest romantic film of all time, it's tough to compensate for that without making something great. I enjoyed this movie because it's a good effort from Allen and everyone involved is A plus. Only, I wish Allen put some more time into the positive aspects of the relationship, that way I could have been more dedicated to their relationship.