Sweet and Lowdown

PG-13

12/3/19991h 35m

Theatrical Release (US)

Overview:

In the 1930s, jazz guitarist Emmet Ray idolizes Django Reinhardt, faces gangsters and falls in love with a mute woman.

Director:

Woody Allen

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$29,750,000.00

Revenue:

$4,525,794.00

Key words:

new york city
jazz
guitar
night life
egocentrism
jazz singer or musician
pretty woman

Cast

Sean Penn

~ as ~

Emmet Ray

Samantha Morton

~ as ~

Hattie

Anthony LaPaglia

~ as ~

Al Torrio

Uma Thurman

~ as ~

Blanche Williams

James Urbaniak

~ as ~

Harry

John Waters

~ as ~

Mr. Haynes

Gretchen Mol

~ as ~

Ellie

Denis O'Hare

~ as ~

Jake

Molly Price

~ as ~

Ann

Brian Markinson

~ as ~

Bill Shields

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 1 year(s) ago
6
Presented in a documentary style, this drama looks at the life of the fictional jazz guitarist "Emmet Ray" (Sean Penn). Now, of course, he is American so is naturally the best in the whole wide world, well second best actually, and that is testified to by frequent obsequious pieces-to-camera from purported experts and then by his own performances as he plays standards from the likes of Django Reinhardt, the masterful Stéphane Grapelli and Duke Ellington. Director Woody Allen has a penchant for this style of music, and as faux-homages go this isn't at all bad. That's really thanks to a strong contribution from Sean Penn as the frankly pretty odious character who's selfishness was probably only eclipsed by his increasing obsession with the shy mute "Hattie" (a gorgeous effort from Samantha Morton) who comes to depend on him, but might he actually come to depend on her too - despite himself? It's a great looking film with plenty of attention to detail, and it does work well at illustrating just how important it is for people to have decent anchors in their lives. The dialogue is all a bit too relentless for me with very little time to come up for air as this rattles along but it's all genuinely and uncomfortably plausible at times, too. Pity about the constant hyperbole, though - how can anyone be the best guitarist? Hmmm?