Anything Else: Review By derekmay

Having been watching and reviewing action movies in recent weeks, my mind began to wander while watching Woody Allen's latest foray into the comedic depths of neurosis: What sets this aging little man apart from every other writer/director in the business and causes $20 million-per-film stars to work for next to nothing just to be in his movies? The answer came as I remembered one of the most basic rules for writing- Put ordinary people in extraordinary circ*mstances ( a la Armageddon), or put extraordinary people in ordinary circ*mstances. Woody Allen has defined himself in this latter regard, subsequently creating a whole new genre while re-imagining how movies could be told.

Another rule: you can't have your characters just sitting around talking- keep the action moving. Allen obviously puts about as much credit in this as he does in perceived relationship taboos. All his characters DO is sit around and talk. But it's the HOW that sets him apart and silences the nay sayers. As in his previous films, the dialogue here is fresh and insightful while managing the hat trick of being funny as well. It's vintage Allen, harking back to the romantic foibles he explored in his Oscar-winner Annie Hall. What makes it so enjoyable is how unlike other formulaic writers who start with relatable characters whom the audience can identify with, Allen begins with relatable situations and predicaments that anyone who's been in love with can recognize, and then adds eccentric and heavily flawed characters to carry you on the very familiar journey.

In a departure, however, Allen has handed center stage over to a young prot