BULLETS OVER BROADWAY

What a pleasant surprise this is - a 1994 film directed by Woody Allen, which is genuinely comic, but with some substance, and which is delivered by a terrific ensemble cast.

There's also a theme, maybe too overtly stated at times, about whether it is better to be an Artist or just a normal common-or-garden schmuck.  Or as someone asks, if you had to choose between saving a random person or the last copy of Shakespeare's works, which would you choose?

Thankfully this is handled with a lightness of touch for which maybe we should thank Allen's co-writer here, Douglas McGrath.

The film looks great thanks to Carlo di Palma, who worked with Allen on eleven films.

All the cast are spot-on.  I especially enjoyed John Cusack's performance as a playwright, David, who discovers over the course of the film that he has no talent.  Recently I've seen several Cusack films which I didn't much enjoy so it was nice to be reminded here of how good he can be with the right material.

Also outstanding is Chazz Palminteri as a gangster, Cheech, who takes over the writing of the play from David and who is of the view that Art is more important than Life.  

Dianne Wiest has a great time hamming it up (but subtly) as a veteran actress.  It's a fun performance but I doubt it deserved the Oscar it received.

The only sour note for me was the running joke about Jim Broadbent's character compulsively overeating - not funny and not necessary to the plot.

That aside, this film is well worth catching as a reminder of what Allen at his best could deliver. And it goes without saying that the soundtrack is superlative.

RATING: ✓ Cheers