Amazon.co.uk: Sweet And Lowdown [2000]: Sean Penn, Woody Allen, Douglas McGrath, Nat Hentoff, Samantha Morton, Uma Thurman, Anthony La Paglia, Gretchen Mol, Vincent Guastaferro, John Waters, Brian Markinson, James Urbaniak: DVD

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Amazon.co.uk Review
Woody Allen makes beautiful music but only fitful comedy in Sweet and Lowdown the story of "the second greatest guitar player in the world." Sean Penn plays Emmett Ray, an irresponsible, womanising swing guitar player in Depression-era America who is guided by an ego almost as large as his talent. "I'm an artist, a truly great artist," he proclaims time and time again, and when he plays, soaring into a blissed-out world of pure melodic beauty, he proves it. Samantha Morton almost steals the film as his mute girlfriend Hattie, a sweet Chaplinesque waif who loves him unconditionally, and Uma Thurman brings haughty vigour to her role as a slumming socialite and aspiring writer who's forever analysing Emmett's peculiarities (like taking his dates to shoot rats at the city dump). The vignette-like tales are interspersed with comments by jazz aficionados and critics, but this is less a Zelig-like mockumentary than an extension of the self-absorbed portraits of Deconstructing Harry and Celebrity. The lazy pace drags at times and the script runs dry between comic centrepieces--the film screams for more of Allen's playful invention--but there's a bittersweet tenderness and an affecting vulnerability that is missing from his other recent work. Shot by Zhao Fei (The Emperor and the Assassin, Raise the Red Lantern), it's one of Allen's most gorgeous and colourful films in years, buoyed by toe-tapping music and Penn's gruffly charming performance. --Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com

Special Features
1.85 Wide Screen
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital Mono English
Dolby Digital Mono
Theatrical Trailer
Talent Files

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

One of Woody's best, 14 Dec 2003

By	MR A R LLOYD (Tonbridge, Kent United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

As a big fan of the work of Woody Allen, I approached this film with some trepidation. The subject matter seemed obscure, the choice of Sean Penn in the lead role would not be my first choice and the lack of Woody Allen himself in an acting role (although he does appear as a 'critic') didn't make for a promising film.

However having watched it a number of times I love this film. It is beautifully shot, the music is fantastic (as a guitarist, this film turned me on to the work of Django)and the acting is excellent. Sean Penn plays the role of Emmett Ray brilliantly and the film has some delightful and poignant moments.

If you like Woody Allen, watch this film. And then watch it again. Lose yourself in the beatiful music and be thankful that there are still film-makers prepared to make films like this - little, perfect gems that don't require prequels or sequels and play just as well on DVD at home as they do in the cinema.

Andy Lloyd - December 2003

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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

Allen takes a step in the right direction, 8 Nov 2000

By A Customer

Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown is taking place in the early 30's. Sean Penn is playing a jazz guitarist with a strange obsession with Django Reinhardt. Penn's acting is excellent as usual and the first half of the movie is a bit of a masterpiece. It's when Uma Thurman enters the screen the movie looses some of it's intensity and pace. As a summary, this is the best film Allen achived in several years and absolutly a step in the right direction. (And I have to mention that the soundtrack is really something special)

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

Wonderful! Warm and funny biopic., 7 Nov 2003

By	Mrs. A. C. Whiteley "ali-docious" - See all my reviews

I loved this film! It has been beautifully and lovingly put together by Woody Allen, and his vast knowledge of the subject positively shines through. The story is told by anecdotal narration from Allen and other experts on jazz, interwoven with re-enactments of the events they describe played out by Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Uma Thurman and the rest of the cast. This documentary style format works supremely well, and is not at all disjointed. The various actors acquit themselves more than admirably, particularly Sean Penn who was almost born to play the part, so enthusiastically does he throw himself into it.

The story is that of the working life of Emmet Ray, a great American jazz guitarist of the late 20s early 30s, second only, so he claimed, to Django Reinhardt. We are shown how his career progresses (or, arguably, regresses) from his early beginnings, when he was pimping in order to supplement his income, to his eventual disappearance from the jazz scene to who knows where.

Despite the hugely unpleasant traits he exhibits during the course of the film (mistreatment of the women in his life, a tendency to overspend and steal, bizarre hobbies etc), there is something fundamentally likeable about him. It is this, coupled with the glorious soundtrack and insightful comments of the narrators which make this film great rather than merely good.

So, if you have 90 minutes of spare time on your hands, you could do far worse than to devote them to watching this magical masterpiece, which is, in my opinion, Woody Allen’s best ever film. Enjoy.

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