Most Woody Allen films I re-watch I find my opinion hasn't changed. This one I like more. I think a lot of people feel that way. When it came out I get the impression people were offended by its depiction of Woody Allen fans.
Time has passed and now we can appreciate its boldness, the confidence of its visual look, the grotesques are entertaining. It is navel gazing and rips off Fellini shamelessly but interesting and some of it is very funny and moving.
Charlotte Rampling is superb as Allen's (literally) crazy ex. Jessica Harper's potential girlfriend is a more typical Allen nutter (one in a long, long line of Allen women who had an affair with her college professor) - but Rampling has genuine pain and is scary and moving and wonderful. It's a performance as good as Cate Blanchett's in Blue Jasmine. There's entertaining turns from people like Tony Roberts as himself and Daniel Stern. Sharon Stone blows a kiss at the beginning.
Full of fascinating personal insights to Allen's life and things that have unexpected resonance: deciding to be with a sensible woman who has young kids, him picking up cast members (it's how he meets Rampling), Rampling accusing him of wanting her 13 year old cousin.
It's superbly designed, shot and edited.
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