Details
Movie Description
David Shayne (John Cusack, in performance his character that of a young Woody Allen) is an idealistic young playwright whose life (and play) is about to be turned upside down as it heads toward Broadway. In order to gain financing for GOD OF OUR FATHERS, Shayne agrees to hire Olive Neal (a wonderfully high-squeaking Jennifer Tilly), the actress/girlfriend of Nick Valenti, a potential backer--who also happens to be a gangster. Unfortunately, the lass proves to be not only talent-free but ditzy to boot, a hindrance since she is supposed to play a psychiatrist. But Cheech, Olive's hoodlum bodyguard, proves to be more intuitive artistically than anyone would suspect, as his contributions improve not only Olive's performance but the quality of the flailing play as well. Meanwhile, Shayne must contend with an odd assortment of actors, including the neurotic Eden Brent, with her omnipresent, yapping dog; the pompous Warner Purcell, a corset-wearing overeater; and haughty leading lady Helen Sinclair (a fabulous Dianne Wiest), the aging, boozing diva with whom Shayne begins a romance. The laughs keep coming like rapid machine-gun fire in this riotous Woody Allen farce.
Synopsis
David Shayne (John Cusack, in performance his character that of a young Woody Allen) is an idealistic young playwright whose life (and play) is about to be turned upside down as it heads toward Broadway. In order to gain financing for GOD OF OUR FATHERS, Shayne agrees to hire Olive Neal (a wonderfully high-squeaking Jennifer Tilly), the actress/girlfriend of Nick Valenti, a potential backer--who also happens to be a gangster. Unfortunately, the lass proves to be not only talent-free but ditzy to boot, a hindrance since she is supposed to play a psychiatrist. But Cheech, Olive's hoodlum bodyguard, proves to be more intuitive artistically than anyone would suspect, as his contributions improve not only Olive's performance but the quality of the flailing play as well. Meanwhile, Shayne must contend with an odd assortment of actors, including the neurotic Eden Brent, with her omnipresent, yapping dog; the pompous Warner Purcell, a corset-wearing overeater; and haughty leading lady Helen Sinclair (a fabulous Dianne Wiest), the aging, boozing diva with whom Shayne begins a romance. The laughs keep coming like rapid machine-gun fire in this riotous Woody Allen farce.
Film Notes
Theatrical release (in New York and Los Angeles): October 14, 1994.
Filmed on location in New York City.
Actors Tony Sirico and Edie Falco both later starred in the award-winning series THE SOPRANOS on HBO. Woody Allen told the New York Daily News in January 2001, "And Tony Sirico, from my old neighborhood in Brooklyn, was in a bunch of my films, and he's just wonderful as Paulie Walnuts in THE SOPRANOS.
The final song over the closing credits, Irving Aaronson and His Commanders' version of Cole Porter's "Let's Misbehave," appeared over the opening credits of
Allen's film EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK.
Industry Reviews
"...BULLETS is one of Allen's best and most revealing comedies, as much a moral meditation as it is dazzling fun..."
Rolling Stone - p.103-4 - Peter Travers (11/03/1994)
"...A bright, energetic, sometimes side-splitting comedy with vital matters on its mind....The [film] in which [Allen] speaks most seriously from the heart..."
New York Times - p.C1 - Janet Maslin (09/30/1994)
"...Unparalleled character acting..." - Recommended
Premiere - p.133 - Josh Rottenberg (05/01/1995)
"...One of Allen's briskest yet densest movies....Wiest in a no-holds-barred, Oscar-winning performance..." -- Rating:A-
Entertainment Weekly - pp.68-70 - Glenn Kenny (05/12/1995)
"...The Woodman's funniest movie in years....Lovely stuff..."
Film Comment - p.71-3 - Robert Horton (11/01/1994)
"...Unabashed entertainment....It's enormously winning..."
Sight and Sound - p.40-1 - Jonathan Romney (05/01/1995)
"...The movie is very funny and, in the way it follows its logic wherever it leads, surprisingly tough..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (10/28/1994)
"[A] portrait of backstage Manhattan…with much to say about the demands of art."
Premiere - Andy Webster (07/01/2006)
Quotations
"Don't speak!"--Helen Sinclair (Dianne Wiest)
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