Celebrity Movie Review 1998

Woody examines the phenomenon of celebrity with his usual sarcastic and semi-autobiographical perspective. Lee Simon (Branaugh) is a hack celebrity journalist who attempts to enter the glitz and glam world of the famous people he follows and writes about. In true Allen fashion, bitter irony abounds as Simon loses sight of his pathetic reality while those around him acquire what he so desperately seeks. DiCaprio steals his 15 minutes of screen time playing a hedonistic, hotel-trashing, spoiled young film star with amazing ease and conviction (Coincidence? Perhaps...). The writing is among Allen's best, but watching Branaugh, and Judy Davis as Lee's estranged wife, do their best Woody Allen impressions grates on the nerves. Although it's redundant, nobody plays Woody like Woody.

Distribution

Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521-1120, Toll-free: 800-723-4763, URL: http://www.bvhe.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 113 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Showbiz Comedies, Writers, L.A., Divorce, Waiters & Waitresses, Oldest Profession, Behind the Scenes

Screenplay

Woody Allen

Cast

J.K. Simmons, Kenneth Branagh, Judy Davis, Hank Azaria, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joe Mantegna, Famke Janssen, Winona Ryder, Melanie Griffith, Michael Lerner, Charlize Theron, Bebe Neuwirth, Dylan Baker, Patti D'Arbanville, Kate Burton, Gretchen Mol, Allison Janney, Aida Turturro, Jeffrey Wright

Cinematography

Sven Nykvist

Director

Woody Allen

Other

Greg Mottola, Isaac Mizrahi, Andre Gregory, Donald Trump

Producer

Jean Doumanian, J.E. Beaucaire, Sweetland Films AB, Miramax Films