Year of Release: 1972Country of Origin: USA
Director: Herbert Ross
Cast: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts
Plot outline: A neurotic film critic tries to get over his wife leaving him by dating again, much by the help of a married couple and his alter ego, Rick Blaine from Casablanca (IMDb).
Before I continue, I have to say that I'm a fan of Woody Allen's movies. But, I fully understand those who don't like his movies and this movie probably won't change your mind. His work is always best when he himself stars in it, because his neurotic persona is his trademark. Based on his own play, even though he didn't direct it, this movie is very much his work - he writes the script and he stars in it. The dialogue is dry and witty. The humour is awesome and believable. I have a good time watching him blunder his way through series of blind dates: the desperate preparation, the pathetic introduction, the unexpected response of an attractive woman at a museum, the cruel rejection by a gorgeous woman in a night club, the silly demonstration of authentic Chinese rice-eating technique with chopsticks and the hopelessly uneven fight with two "hairdressers" in a pub. It feels so funny maybe because we've all been through the similar experience. Woody Allen is always best playing a neurotic, insecure, clumsy character ... his audience expects this (!) Diane Keaton is beautiful and gives a good dose of reality and sensitivity. Tony Roberts is unassumingly hilarious with his deadpan delivery of all the phone numbers he can be reached at (regardless you were born before or after the invention of mobile phones). This is the first movie and the beginning of a long working relationship between Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, which in time bring them both fame and Oscars. Play It Again, Sam is by all means a funny and intelligent movie.
My judgement: *** out of 4 stars
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