Cheap Sweet and Lowdown (DVD) (Sean Penn, Samantha Morton) (Woody Allen) Price

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Customer Reviews of Sweet and Lowdown

Something a Little Different from Woody Allen
I've never been a big fan of Woody Allen's more mainstream movies, but I really liked this film. Allen draws upon his knowledge of jazz to bring the life of fictional jazz guitarist Emmett Ray (the second greatest jazz guitarist in the world), and a completely irresponsible and idiosynchratic person. Who else would take his dates to the dump to shoot rats? Despite his considerable talent, Emmett lives in fear of his idol, the great Django Rheinhardt. For those of you unfamiliar with jazz, Rheinhardt really existed and during his lifetime was one of the finest guitar players the world has ever known.

Sean Penn, an actor who is sadly better known for his brief marriage to Madonna than for his considerable acting skills, turns in an Oscar-worthy performance as Emmett, playing him as a lovable but quirky and ultimately vulnerable character (Penn received an Oscar nomination for this portrayal, incidentally). Uma Thurman appears briefly as Ray's socialite wife who marries him more out of curiosity than love. Samantha Morton practically steals the movie away from Penn as the deaf-mute girlfriend who unconditionally loves him despite Emmett's inherent self-centeredness and lack of trustworthiness. The director appears briefly explaining the life and times of Emmett in documentary style. Although I didn't particularly care for this way of presenting the picture, it was at most a minor distraction.

Whether you're a jazz afficianado or just appreciate an interesting character study, this motion picture is worth a look.

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Woody Allen looks at an artist and his ego. A fine movie.
I was lucky enough to see Woody Allen's 1999 release "Sweet and Lowdown" in the theater, twice in fact! I say "lucky" not only because this is an enjoyable and clever film, but because the film only played for a short while, and mainly in small "arthouse" theaters. This is really a shame, because "Sweet and Lowdown" could easily have appealed to wide audience, and not only to those who frequent Woody Allen films. This is the bittersweet tale of Emmett Ray, a fictional depression-era jazz guitar legend who is cursed with an ego of truly IMMENSE proportions! Arrogant ol' Emmett would love you to believe that he is the greatest musician to ever strap on a guitar, but his love/hate relationship with real-life guitar legend Django Reinhardt gives us a hint of his underlying insecurity. Emmett, played with utter precision by Sean Penn, is the kind of self-worshiping, self-absorbed "artist" who walks all over those close to him without really noticing them. The flippant way in which Emmett treats the women in his life is downright disgraceful, and is sometimes even painful to watch thanks to Penn's expert acting. The story is told in a sort of PBS doumentary style, with several "jazz experts" (including Woody Allen as himself) providing much of the details of his life through on-camera interviews and voice over narration. The story follows the ups and downs (mostly downs) of Emmett's musical career and private life, and gives us both lighthearted comedy and subtle food-for-thought along the way. Emmett is a man completely out of touch with his own emotions, and the film realistically portrays the outworkings of an artistic ego running out-of-control. A highlight of "Sweet and Lowdown" is the stellar performance of British actress Samantha Morton as one of Emmett's put-upon lady friends, an all-too-understanding mute girl named Hattie. Morton lights up the screen with her unusual screen presence, and in the course of the story she wins us over with her genuine sweetness. (Was the title "Sweet and Lowdown" meant to refer to the unbalanced relationship between Hattie and Emmett?). As you would expect from a film written and directed by Woody Allen, the dialogue is sharp throughout, and the films visual style keeps the story moving forward in a positive way. If you are looking for an alternative to all of the standard Hollywood fare of today, then "Sweet and Lowdown" may be just what you are looking for!

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Another Innovative, Thoughtful Comedy by Woody Allen
Woody Allen is know for any number of things: inventive, brilliant comedies; less than popular serious films; his love of Manhattan; his love of Jazz. In Sweet and Lowdown, he combines a documentary and period filmmaking to great effect. Sean Penn expertly plays Emmett Ray, the world-second greatest guitar player during the great depression. The character is full of ego, booze, talent and humor and it's pulled off without a hitch by Penn and is supported by a solid cast. As is the case with many of Allen's films, a cerebral investment is required from the viewer - this isn't an example of Allen's earlier screwball comedy. All in all, another wonderful film from Woody Allen.