Sweet and Lowdown *** (1999, Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Anthony LaPaglia, Uma Thurman, Woody Allen) – Classic Movie Review 1802

Writer-director Woody Allen’s 1999 Jazz Age fable takes the form of a fanciful, fictional tribute to the legendary 30s jazz guitarist Emmet Ray (Sean Penn), who was second only to Django Reinhardt as a music genius of the age.

In a Best Actor Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated turn, Penn hits a high note, giving a fine, rounded interpretation of a difficult man, into dumping his women, drinking, kleptomania, fear of Reinhardt and just plain not turning up on time or at all for gigs. Ray’s travels take him from New Jersey to Chicago, Detroit and Hollywood and took the production to 85 different period-dressed locations.

In truth, it is not much of a yarn, told by some jazz aficionados and historians, Allen among them. But it is beautifully realised and quite touching on screen.

Samantha Morton was also Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated for Best Supporting Actress as the devoted mute girl Ray loves and leaves, while Uma Thurman makes an impression as the small-time writer he marries and who betrays him with a Mob thug (Anthony LaPaglia). Gretchen Moll, John Waters and Woody Allen (as himself) also appear.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1802

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