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Director: Woody Allen
Screenplay: Woody Allen
Featured Cast: Woody Allen, George Hamilton, Tea Leoni, Debra Messing, Mark Rydell, Tiffani Thiessen, Treat Williams.
2002
It pains me to give such a low score to a Woody Allen film, but if I don’t it would not place this film in the proper perspective to Woody’s career. I have mentioned in a previous review that Woody really struggled for fourteen years with a very few exceptions. This is one of those films he struggled with. During the peak of his career Woody could use his throw away material for good effect in his books or other outlets. What we have in Hollywood ending is an interesting premise which is funny, but not enough to support a full feature film. This would have made a great short story, or material for his stand-up, but not a feature length movie.
In this film, Val is given a big chance for a comeback film when his ex-wife convinces some studio executives to take a chance on him. Woody takes some swipes at Hollywood for sure, but he does not seem to spare himself from a few jokes. Val is a hypochondriac who suffers a stress induced illness (I won’t say what because it will ruin the one long gag that gives the film a little bit of humor), that results in what most studio executives would describe as a travesty, but results in a Hollywood Ending for Val Waxman (the Woody Allen Character). While this is Woody near his absolute bottom I still recommend it to Woody fans.
Hollywood Ending
Screenplay: Woody Allen
Featured Cast: Woody Allen, George Hamilton, Tea Leoni, Debra Messing, Mark Rydell, Tiffani Thiessen, Treat Williams.
2002
It pains me to give such a low score to a Woody Allen film, but if I don’t it would not place this film in the proper perspective to Woody’s career. I have mentioned in a previous review that Woody really struggled for fourteen years with a very few exceptions. This is one of those films he struggled with. During the peak of his career Woody could use his throw away material for good effect in his books or other outlets. What we have in Hollywood ending is an interesting premise which is funny, but not enough to support a full feature film. This would have made a great short story, or material for his stand-up, but not a feature length movie.
In this film, Val is given a big chance for a comeback film when his ex-wife convinces some studio executives to take a chance on him. Woody takes some swipes at Hollywood for sure, but he does not seem to spare himself from a few jokes. Val is a hypochondriac who suffers a stress induced illness (I won’t say what because it will ruin the one long gag that gives the film a little bit of humor), that results in what most studio executives would describe as a travesty, but results in a Hollywood Ending for Val Waxman (the Woody Allen Character). While this is Woody near his absolute bottom I still recommend it to Woody fans.