Last night I attended a screening of Peter Bogdanovich's She's Funny that Way and I have to say it was probably one of the most enjoyable films I have seen for quite some time. Its the kind of film that makes you fall in love with film and actors and lets you understand what I great script and well seasoned director can bring to you. I really haven't laughed out loud so much during a movie in ages. Watching the film you can't help but have the comedies of Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder come to mind and maybe in more contemporary fashion Woody Allen ( I really only mention it because thats who most of the people around me compared it to, if anything I think I found this much more enjoyable than a lot of the film's Woody has put out in recent year's, sorry Woody).
The cast in this film was impeccable, it was real fun to see all the familiar faces from many different eras of film but it was Imogen Poots' truly inspired performance that really brought and incredible energy to the film. I unfortunately was not aware of her prior to this film, but by the end of it I can now say I am an advocate, she was a real vision in this film and I'd love to see her in more roles like this. These are the kinda of rare films that I really think are for people that love movies and make you fall in love with the movies, and I'm happy that I saw it and its amazing to see what a director like Bogdanovich still has inside of him and its a shame that we haven't seen more modern works from him because this film proves that he can still create works that far exceed the films produced by other contemporary directors, I can't even think of a film within the last 13 years since the last Bogdanovich film that really rivals this.
This film is a quiet one set up in a screwball comedy kinda of fashion, I'm not going to go into the details, you can read that synopsis else where, but what I am going to say is that this film is pure escapist enjoyment. Its small, dialogue driven and does exactly what films at their core are meant to do and entertain and once you blink its over, and what you walk away from this film with is the memory of seeing something light hearted and fun and the feeling that you saw something special that will stick with you in the back of your mind for some time.
My only gripe that I have has nothing to do with this film but with the reviews and the rumored distribution issues with this film, I don't really know how a film like this did not receive more positive reviews and its unfortunate because due to that the film isn't going to get the release it really deserves, because this picture really needs to be seen in the theater with an audience, it really enhances the magic you feel when watching it. I can really go on and on about my love for this film, All I can really say is that I really hope that this film finds its audience because its a shame that it hasn't already because its one of those films that immerses you so deep that by the end of it you really felt like you've seen something really special.
