Rating: 
Summary: Hommage And Parody In One
Review: 'Bullets Over Broadway' is in many respects an unusual Woody Allen film. I think he made it because he had some ideas he wanted to exploit, and above all, the film is a hommage to 1930s theatre.The setting is... New York in the 1930s - Broadway, the Mob, the lot. And Allen once again uses his choice of surroundings to back up the typical atmosphere of the showbiz industry, with its minor and major scandals. In fact, this could be interpreted as a parody on today's Hollywood! 'Cause 'Bullets Over Broadway' may be a hommage, but it certainly is a parody as well. In the unique Woody Allen way! It's beuatifully done - the actors are very well chosen (nearly stereotyping their roles, ach and every one of them!), and the whole scenery, the colours, the atmosphere are just so over-1930s! A witty and entertaining film, worth seeing.
Rating: 
Summary: The Producers Meets The Godfather
Review: A brilliant hilarious valentine to the theatre in it's heyday, wonderfully cast. With two moving characters, the playwright and his shadow. It is just possible that someone who has never performed in any way would not respond to this (see one of my fellow reviewers) but for anyone who has ever been on any kind of stage you'll laugh and you may also have your stomach turn a little. Hope Woody has another one or two like this still in him.
Rating:
Summary: Funny, funny, funny!!
Review: And funny. Great casting, great script, funny dialogue and good directing. The wonderful thing about this whole flick -- Woody Allen decided NOT to be in it. One of his better decisions he's made in years. (Thanks for giving us a break and breather from your repeatible and stale roles Woody!) Don't miss this little-known gem.
Rating:
Summary: Pure hilarity
Review: As a die hard Woody Allen fan, I can honestly state that this is one of his best efforts. The characters are so incredibly good (dare I say delicious?) and the actors who bring them to life are equally exquisite. From Dianne Wiest ("Don't speak...Don't speak") to Jennifer Tilly ("Hey, Venus, where's that hooch?") to Chaz Palmentieri("You don't write the way people talk")to John Cusack ("I think I'll go now and get the psychiatric help I need"). The rest of the cast is equally marvelous, especially Tracey Ullman. She really is nothing short of brilliant in everything she does. This movie is just a delight throughout. It is truly droll and clever, never once loosing it's intelligence. The attention to detail is admirable, so much so that the film seemingly leaps out at you from the screen. I've seen this film more times than I care to mention and each time I find myself enjoying it more. Only Woody Allen could have devised such an ironic plot twist. He is, without question, the O. Henry of the cinema. One final note: No one, and I mean no one, can make New York seem more fabulous and intoxicating than Mr. Allen. All his films are love letters to this the greatest of American cities. This is to the person who accused Woody Allen of preaching through the Rob Reiner character: Give me a major break. He was spoofing the tendency of some over-indulgent artists to dramatize and take himself too seriously. Sometimes a cigar, my friend, is just a cigar. Don't read so much into things. It can sometimes get you into trouble.
Rating: 
Summary: Enormoulsy funny movie undercut by Allen's preaching
Review: Bullets Over Broadway has some of the funniest moments in recent cinema. Tracey Ullman, Diane Wiest, and Jennifer Tilly are all outstanding.The problem is Woody Allen's sanctimony and prechiness that slowly infultrates the movie with all it's talk about "the artist creates his own moral universe."Sorry Woody. You can't have it both ways. If you don't want your personal life criticized, quit trying to justify it in your movies.
Rating:
Summary: One Of Woodys Best
Review: Bullets over Broadway has to be one of Woody Allens most enjoyable films. If you Love a Mixture of Gangsters and Comedy then this film is certainly for you. His imagination and creativity never ceases to amaze me, its hard to up into words the brilliance of this film. Yet again Allens cracking script is one of his best and it is suported wonderfully by a cast to die for, including John Cusack, Meg Tilly and the excellant Dianne Weist in an Oscer winning role. Allen proves yet again that he is one of Americas best Writer/Directer, and if this Film doesn't conferm that then nothing ever will.
Rating:
Summary: Woody Allen's best -- at least for casting
Review: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe no poll has ever been made about which one is most deemed as Woody Allen's masterpiece by far. I once thought that we seemingly tend to pick whichever we can best relate to, but recently when I had a chance to sit down and watch five of his movies all over again -- "Annie Hall", "Manhattan", "Hannah and her sisters", "Bullets over Broadway", "Mighty Aphrodite" -- I realized that any of us could easily relate to at least something in each of those great films. That would define Allen's genius when it comes to directing (romantic or un-romantic?) comedies. When it comes to casting, though, "Bullets over Broadway" must be the best of all, featuring the finest performance of every actor. Not only the credit must go to those in lead roles (John Cusack -- who played Woody Allen's would-be character, Dianne Wiest, Jack Warden, Jennifer Tilly), but the supporting cast was superb as well (with Tracy Ullman as Eden, Chazz Palmenterri as Cheech, Rob Reiner as Flender, Mary-Louise Parker as Ellen, and Stacey Nelkin -- Allen's ex-girldfriend -- as Rita). This film was perfect in each of its scenes, but if I had to pick my favorite one, it would be the final dialogue between Cusack, Parker, Reiner and Nelkin. I don't remember having heard in any other comedy a dialogue that's so hilarious and so thought-provoking at the same time.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful study of the artist.
Review: Departing from the modern realism of 'Interiors,' 'Annie Hall,' and 'Hannah and Her Sisters,' director Woody Allen uses old-time, deliciously over-the-top Broadway to execute with brilliant precision themes concerning the artist, his art, and the motivation to create.
In a problematic but never unexciting performance, John Cusack is David Shayne, a play-write living in New York City in the midst of a stable relationship whilst directing a play found to be pretentiously unrealistic. He casts two generally wonderful actors, the melodramatic but passionate Helen Sinclair (a hilarious Dianne Wiest in a brilliant, Oscar-winning performance), and finally, a gangster's girlfriend, Olive Neal (Jennifer Tilly), who simply cannot act...at all. Every word she speaks is painfully bland and obnoxious, and she can't even recognize a few of the more complicated ones (she has a bit of trouble reading "masochistic"). David has no choice but to cast her, though, lest he face the mob and/or lose all financial support for the play. In addition to her obnoxious...erm...stage presence, she brings along Cheech (Chazz Parliminteri), a body guard who often contradicts David's directorial decisions and dialogue.
This storyline could have easily been played off as farce. But under the hands of master auteur Allen, it is obvious that art, theme and credible side-splitting comedy are first and foremost on his mind at all times. Through dinner conversation, casual walks through a serene park, and wonderfully portrayed rehearsals, Allen harnesses this potentially absurd setting with a grace that allows emphasis on the crucial themes concerning all that surrounds an artist's yearning to capture life at its brightest and darkest moments.
Dianne Wiest's powerhouse of a comedic performance only strengthens the fluidity of the writing and direction. Her seductive Helen Sinclair not only overacts her lines, but also everyday expressions (whenever David attempts to say something self-doubting, she shoves her hands in his face, screaming, "Don't...speak"). In addition to these hilarities, Wiest allows us to believe David began to fall for her. She injects a strong, luminous quality into Helen that could intoxicate the most impervious of hearts. Behind the cigarettes and the sparkling hats and dresses, Wiest developed a glowing gem of a human being who feels comfortably real.
Also notable was Chazz Paliminteri who successfully and convincingly began to shed Cheech's "tough gangster" persona to reveal a naturalistic talent for writing that clashed purposefully and appropriately with David's forced poeticism.
Despite some memorable performances and a well-written screenplay, 'Bullets' unfortunately concludes a little too easily. Fortunately, the tone is never monotonous and the laughs keep on coming. What's wonderful about Allen's comedy is that it doesn't feel contrived or trite at any point in time. Even when he plays with the dazzlingly over-expressive lights of old Broadway, whatever comes out of his characters' mouthes feels absolutely natural, and for the most part endearingly uproarious.
Rating:
Summary: CHAZZ AND JAZZ
Review: How could you possibly be wrong with a Woody Allen movie ! You can be sure to enjoy solid actors, great jazz music and the always recognizable Allen touch. His movies are at the least of above-average quality and often at the level of pure masterpieces. Let's be honest ! Not so many directors can pretend to such a filmography. BULLETS OVER BROADWAY develops typical Allen themes such as the thin margin existing between cinema, in this movie more precisely theatre, and the real world, the secret of artistic inspiration or the delicate critique of the so-called intellectual circles. It's also a dark comedy with moments of deep emotion such as the complete rewrite of John Cusack's play by the inspired mafioso Chazz Palminteri. As always, actors are wonderful with a special mention to John Cusack who portraits a young Woody Allen clone forced to admit that he hasn't any talent at all. That's not given to everybody ! No special features except a scene access (is it really a so special feature after all ?) and english subtitles that can be very annoying at times because Woody Allen's characters spend a lot of time talking and talking and talking... A DVD that is going to be better and better with years passing by.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Movie - Lame DVD
Review: I'll keep this short and non-pretentious. I find this film very enjoyable. Although Woody Allen isn't in this film, blatent aspects of his own neurotic behavior leak through John Cusak, and very well. The acting is superb. Jennifer Tilly's Olive must, must, must be an homage to Jeane Hagen's Lina Lamont in "Singin' in the Rain." In general, the characters are all hysterical, although the plot is very predictable, especially anything mob-related. As far as the DVD goes, where're all the features that DVDs are loved for most? I looked at the back of the damn thing, at the bright blue "Special Features" box, and sighed as I read "Widescreen." Wow. Isn't that expected anyway? It might as well have read, "In Color." Ah, I'm too harsh. I did enjoy this movie on DVD, but I was definitely let down by the lack of features. Oh, and the sound is really ..., too. 2-Channel! This must be the future! I'm outta here.
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