jdab

The whole genre of romantic comedies is one I usually avoid at all costs, as they tend to be sappy with hackneyed storybook endings. That is, of course, if it's a Woody Allen film. _Annie Hall_ and _Manhattan_ are probably the best films of this whole genre, and _Might Aphrodite_ is a lot of fun too. Allen's pessimism always seems cut through the trite platitudes of typical romantic comedies.

That said, _Anything Else_ is much better than the average romantic comedy, but seriously pales in comparison to others by Woody Allen. There certainly are funny points, and the Dobel character's paranoia is absolutely hilarious. Unfortunately, Allen tries to put his words in the mouths of those much younger than him, which doesn't quite work. Also, many of the characters, especially Christina Ricci's, are underdeveloped. Why does she act so crazy anyway? There are a couple of subplots that appear very briefly and aren't explored further, such as Falk's first marriage, etc. It gave the feeling of a poorly edited film, perhaps there were too many stories involved.

Overall, this movie is recommended for those who like Woody Allen films, but not for most other movie goers. When I saw the movie at the multiplex several younger people walked out, visibly unhappy. maybe they were tricked unto thinking that it was American Pie 4.

Anyone who thinks that this film depicts real history is seriously deluded. One commenter noted that the KKK was fighting for a good cause during Reconstruction, but not now. I guess to him good causes include killing and intimidating freed slaves who were merely attempting to exercise their rights to vote and make a living.

Griffith's portrayal of Reconstruction black politicians is not only racist, but blatantly untrue. Only in rare instances and for a short time did black representatives control any Southern legislatures, and this at a time when they were the majority of voters in many Southern states! For years teachers of Reconstruction have emphasized carpetbaggers, but have ommitted the fact that the post-Reconstruction governments were founded with the explicit purpose of disenfranchising blacks and violently enforcing their underclass status. For this reason and others, Birth of a Nation's claims to historical accuracy would be comical, if not for the horrific implications of the film.

That said, this film should be seen, mainly because it provides a document of a poisonous way of thinking that is by no means dead. It also represents the pop cultural moment when Northern and Southern whites reconciled over the memory of the Civil War, mainly to the detriment of blacks. Lastly, those who want this film burned only give ammunition to the idiots who still praise the KKK. It's better to let these jerks hang themselves with their own rhetorical ropes than to let them claim victim status.