Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Edward Norton | ... | Holden | |
Drew Barrymore | ... | Skylar | |
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Diva Gray | ... | Nanny |
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Ami Almendral | ... | Nanny |
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Madeline Balmaceda | ... | Nanny |
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Vivian Cherry | ... | Nurse |
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Tommie Baxter | ... | Old Woman |
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Jeff DeRocker | ... | Homeless Man (as Jeff Derocker) |
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Cherylyn Jones | ... | Mannequin |
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Tina Paul | ... | Mannequin / Harry Winston Dancer |
Vikki Schnurr | ... | Mannequin | |
Natasha Lyonne | ... | DJ | |
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Kevin Hagan | ... | Doorman |
Alan Alda | ... | Bob | |
Gaby Hoffmann | ... | Lane |
Holden and Skylar are in love. Skylar lives with a large extended family in Manhattan. Her parents, Bob and Steffi, have been married for many years. Joe, a friend of theirs, has a daughter, DJ, with Steffi. After yet another relationship, Joe is alone again. He flees to Venice, where he meets Von, and makes her believe that he is the man of her dreams. However, their happiness is fake all the way, and Von returns to her husband. Steffi spends her time in philanthropy, and manages to break up Skylar and Holden by introducing Skylar to ex-con Charles Ferry. Written by <THURESON@HEM.PASSAGEN.SE>
I didn't really know what to expect when I heard this was an all-stops-out Woody Allen musical, featuring the REAL voices of his stars. Some of them should definitely not quit their day jobs--Julia Roberts and Ed Norton in particular. Others, like Goldie Hawn, Alan Alda and Tim Roth, fare much better. I shudder to think what Drew Barrymore sounds like--she has said her voice is SO bad, she insisted on someone dubbing it. I can't imagine how she could top Julia Roberts on the "tone deaf" meter.
There really isn't much of a plot here. It's basically about upper-class New Yorkers struggling with their love lives, but the plot gives Woody an excuse to film in Venice and Paris and mimic his hero, Groucho Marx. Some of the musical interludes are really creative and funny--dare I say as good as some of the numbers in the classic MGM musicals. And some of the numbers, in places like hospitals, funeral homes, and jewelry stores, are a little on the bizarre side. Woody Allen fans will most definitely appreciate this more than the average viewer. And on another note, I have no idea why this movie is rated R. There is no profanity, no nudity, no sex, no violence---I think the MPAA was on drugs when they saw this.