Hollywood Ending review

The idea that someone as decrepit and neurotic as Val Waxman (Woody Allen) would have three beautiful young women vying for his affections is harder to believe than the notion he could direct a film blind without anyone realising. It's hardly news that Allen's latest film involves him in a relationship with a much younger woman, but as he ages and the formula remains the same, his once hilarious and inventive work is becoming tired and predictable. That's not to say Hollywood Ending doesn't have its share of laughs, but held up against the best of his films, it doesn't fare well.

As with all of Allen's films, they are laced with autobiographical elements. Here he plays ageing director Val Waxman whose once successful career has slumped to the point where he finds himself knee deep in snow, shooting a deodorant commercial in Canada. "I've got two Oscars," he moans to his girlfriend Lori (Debra Messing), "I don't need Oscars, I need antlers." It's doubtful this scenario is one that's haunted Allen, but unless he addresses his slide, he might soon share Val's need for a comeback.

Val's fortune changes when his producer ex-wife Ellie (Téa Leoni) champions on his behalf and convinces Galaxie studio head Hal (Treat Williams), the man she dumped Val for, to give him one final shot at directing a film. Still bitter over the split, Val isn't thrilled at the proposal. "I could kill for this job, but the people I want to kill are the ones who are offering me the job." Putting his desperation ahead of his pride, he accepts the job, much to joy of his agent Al (Mark Rydell - doing an amusing Mel Brooks impression). Rather than be grateful to Ellie for the opportunity, Val continually harangues her for abandoning him for a "philistine." Given Val's whingeing nature, her decision to leave him isn't as surprising as her one to help resurrect his career and rekindle their relationship.

Another recurring theme is Allen's characters' hypochondriacal tendencies. Val's impressive list of past ailments includes foot and mouth and Elm blight. So it follows that on the eve of shooting he becomes temporarily blinded by a psychosomatic disorder. The affliction becomes the basis for plenty of broad humour as well as a chance for Allen to have a dig at Hollywood. When Val declares to his agent, "I can't direct this picture," Al dismisses his reasoning and asks, "Have you seen some of the pictures out there?"

The gags involving the blind Val trying to bluff his way through directing the film, highlighted by a great pratfall and fending off the amorous intentions of a young actress (Tiffani Thiessen), provide some light relief from Val's constant moaning, but the one joke theme eventually wears thin.

Allen's approach has always been to crank out a film a year, with the feeling that if it isn't a success then it's of little consequence as by that time he's already on to the next project. Given his recent poor run, he might be better served spending a little more time in future.