EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU
A film review by Michael Dequina
Copyright 1996 Michael Dequina
(R) *** (out of ****)
Like some stars, some movies can coast by on their charm alone, and Woody Allen's new musical comedy Everyone Says I Love You is one such film--a trifle, yes, but a cute and enjoyable one at that. The thin plot centers on the various romances within a wealthy family in New York, as narrated by one DJ (spunky newcomer Natasha Lyonne), a Columbia University student who falls in love with a new guy just about every month. The two most prominent storylines focus on DJ's father (Woody Allen), an--big surprise--unlucky in love nebbish who woos an unhappily married younger woman (Julia Roberts, thankfully back in light comedy mode) with information secretly obtained from her psychotherapy sessions (by DJ, of course); and DJ's half-sister Skylar (Drew Barrymore), who is betrothed to the nice Holden (Edward Norton) yet later falls for a rugged, not-so-rehabilitated ex-con (Tim Roth, who all but steals the show)--with hilarious results. There are other minor subplots floating around, such as DJ's two other half-sisters (Natalie Portman and Gaby Hoffmann) battling over the same boy, but these plotlines aren't fleshed out as satisfactorily or as memorably as the main two plots. The film is, at its heart, an affectionate tribute to old Hollywood musicals, and this is reflected in the songs, all of which are old pop and showtunes for the '30s and '40s. While the songs add to the old fashioned atmosphere, the fact that they weren't written expressly for the film means that they don't always advance the story; a lot of times it stops it dead in its tracks, especially the elaborate, over-the-top production numbers, which simultaneously celebrate and skewer the genre's surreal conventions. As for the singing, most of the cast--from Norton and Alan Alda (as DJ's stepfather) to Sleepers's Billy Crudup (as one of DJ's paramours) and a startlingly better-than-most Roth--does an adequate job, with a few exceptions. Surprisingly, there is only one truly horrific singer: Roberts, who brings new meaning to the term tone-deaf. Allen himself is by no means OK, but he sort of talk-sings his song, which makes his warbling less offensive. The major standout is the vocally talented Goldie Hawn, who plays DJ's mother and Allen's ex-wife; her dancing and singing showcase at the close is by far the film's highlight. She's the only one who seems like a true musical star. Oddly and disappointingly enough, one star actually cheated when it came to singing--Barrymore, whose vocals are dubbed in by a ghost singer. I can't imagine her actual singing voice being any worse than Roberts's... The movie musical is, sadly for this musical fan, pretty much dead, and I don't see this film (or, for that matter, the forthcoming Evita) miraculously reviving the genre. But genre revival isn't the aim of the film. Everyone Says I Love You simply sets out to be a fun little charmer, and it more than accomplishes that modest goal.
Michael Dequina mrbrown@ucla.edu Visit Mr. Brown's Movie Site at http://members.tripod.com/~MrBrown/ Personal Page: http://members.tripod.com/~MrBrown/home.html
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