REEL CRITICS

Film is throwback to old Woody Allen

“Small Time Crooks” is an old-fashioned Woody Allen comedy, a throwback

to the wacky films he made before he became so obsessed with his neuroses

he could think of little else.

Joining Allen is a cast of outstanding comic actors--Hugh Grant, Elaine

May, Elaine Stritch and Tracy Ullman--who made the most of some very

funny scenes. That’s the good news.

The not-so-good news is that the film seems a bit disjointed and rambling

at times. It’s as though Allen and his gifted co-stars improvised a

series of terrific scenes and then figured how to tie them together.

But, I quibble.

The plot involves a small-time con, Ray (Allen), newly out of prison and

looking for a way to make a quick buck. Assisted (or handicapped) by some

equally inept buddies, Ray rents a small shop from which he plans to

tunnel underneath another shop into a bank vault. Ray’s wife, Frenchy

(Ullman), agrees not only to fork over the money for the shop rent, but

to open a bakery as a front.

Ray and Frenchy do strike it rich, but not the way they intended. Nor

does great wealth turn out to be as much fun as they thought it would be.

While “Small Time Crooks” is not in the same league as “Annie Hall” or

“Hannah and Her Sisters,” it is, in its own modest way, downright easy to

enjoy.

Movie’s charms keep reviewer smiling

“Bossa Nova” is the cinematic equivalent of a good summer read. A sexy

little comedy-love story set in an idealized Rio, it’s nothing to

challenge the brain cells but enjoyable nonetheless.

The main characters--and there are quite a few--are all attractive, sharp

dressers and have apartments with fantastic views.

English teacher Mary Ann (Amy Irving) has been widowed for two years and

thinks romance is a thing of the past. Her friend, Nadine (Drica Moraes),

is certain a New York cyberpal is the man of her dreams.

Pedro Paolo (Antonio Fagundes) is an attorney recently dumped by his wife

for a taichi instructor. Paolo’s father (Alberto de Mendoza) is a master

tailor whose business is threatened by his impending divorce from his

fourth wife.

There are other romantic entanglements between his shy son, Roberto

(Pedro Cardoso), Paolo’s pushy intern (Giovanna Antonelli) and

self-absorbed soccer star Acacio (Alexandre Borges), who also has a crush

on Mary Ann. Whew!

When Paolo sees Mary Ann for the first time, he is immediately smitten.

He signs up as one of her English students just to be near her. She even

inspires him to create a beautiful gift for her.

But, of course, the other characters unwittingly place obstacles in their

path.

This may not sound like much, but director Bruno Barreto (who is also

Irving’s husband) lets the characters’ stories intertwine at a leisurely

pace and with a lot of style and charm.

The music (mostly by Tom Jobim) is used to highlight the plot lines, and

the location shots are stunning.

There’s a little silliness that throws things off-kilter--particularly in

the scenes when Mary Ann teaches Acacio the fine art of trash talking in

English for future soccer matches.

It is refreshing to see a love story between mature people. Fagundes,

with his barrel chest and silver hair, is not a romantic leading man by

Hollywood’s standards, but his charm and manner are so appealing it’s

easy to see why he’s a star in his native Brazil.

To my men friends, “Bossa Nova” is just a chick movie with subtitles. But

this film kept me smiling throughout. I could easily see it again--with

the girls.