Lawbolisted Powerful

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Casey Duggan It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

hiskih The people responsible for this documentary have a problem: they worship Woody Allen and think that absolutely anything he says and does is interesting. Most of the things he says or does _here_ are really not of much interest, even for a fan like me. There are no real interviews of anyone else - they merely co-exist in the shadow of the Great Genius. The result is that the film becomes very monotonous and staying awake becomes a challenge.Worst of all, the filmmakers seem to hate the music involved, or at least not to understand it: they always cut away at wrong places. I would have preferred much more music and less of Woody talking.Come to think of it, WA himself occasionally has the same habit of over-emphasizing himself. Every time I come across "Everyone Says I Love You" I get more and more annoyed of his painfully unfunny romance with Julia Roberts, knowing that interesting musical numbers were cut from that film.

dwalters2 I don't know how I missed this film when it was released. It's thoroughly enjoyable on at least two levels: the New Orleans jazz and Allen's comic gifts. There's a third level -- the European scenery. It's interesting as a travelogue, if a bit jerky, which is realistic considering the jumping from one city to the next in so short a time. But the thing that stays with me the most is the high quality of Allen's trenchant observations on the passing parade, on mundane matters, such as his thoughts on the note he composes for inclusion in his hotel laundry. I am not a fan of the slick, glib one-liners Allen became known for early in his career, but in this film we have a more mature person, a man who obviously cherishes the relationship with Soon Yi and who respects his parents after life has smoothed the edges of his angst and has enabled him, it seems, to gain deeper insights into the passing parade.

JoeKarlosi For the die-hard Woody Allen fan, this is a very interesting documentary that takes a look at the man, the neurotic, and - in particular for the purposes of this film - the musician. This is a candid travelogue surrounding Woody's 1996 tour of Europe, where he was booked with his New Orleans Jazz Band to play a series of engagements. The camera follows Allen (along with Soon Yi Previn and his sister) on the plane, in hotel rooms, on the streets with appreciative fans, and of course on the stage when Woody's performing his favorite music. It's a pretty safe bet that a good chunk of the paying audience was in attendance not so much to hear the jazz as to catch a live glimpse of their favorite movie star, and that's sort of the case with us, too. The occasional concert performances are pleasant enough, but they're not the most valuable elements of the movie; for most fans, things really come alive when we get to see Allen being himself behind the scenes: getting jittery while riding in his boat in Venice, getting grossed out at the thought of a dog licking his face, cautioning people at a press conference that he's claustrophobic, struggling with an uncooperative clarinet, and musing over the respect his films receive in Europe as opposed to their indifference at home. It becomes quite amazing to see firsthand just how much of his true persona is actually what he uses to flesh out those crazy characters he plays in all his films. Nowhere is it more evident just how Woody may have wound up so endearingly neurotic than it is when he returns home to New York at the end of the film. It's then that we meet his still-living parents who seem to do everything in their power to discredit him after his long trip; dad is more interested in the quality of the engraving on Woody's overseas awards rather than being complimentary toward the honor itself; mom reminds her son not to think he made it famous all on his own, and doesn't pull punches when she gives her opinion of Woody's choice of woman.WILD MAN BLUES is not meant for just your average movie lover, but if you're a genuine fan of Woody Allen and his films, you really should catch it. *** out of ****

drosse67 I would not recommend this to even die-hard fans...unless you love jazz. There is a lot of jazz, some nice footage of Woody playing. But don't expect him to discuss his films. And then you have the glimpses into his personal life, with Soon Yi. More than I really cared to know. There are a few comments he makes that solidify his reputation as being reclusive, and not a particularly nice person. I thought of Kathleen Turner's infamous (and possibly career-killing) quote: "Fans, who needs these people?" Watching this movie is like eavesdropping--I can understand why this is not on DVD. Unlike Madonna, this documentary is not meant to boost sales or exposure. He has some big fans overseas (more overseas than in the States, it would seem). So this movie plays to them, and to jazz fans perhaps. But not to anyone else. And this is coming from a real fan of his work. You can skip this.