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If Wild Man Blues was a snapshot, Woody Allen: A Documentary is a photo album. From his early days in Brooklyn via stand-up comedy to his 47 years making movies, “America’s foremost humorist” (as first wife Louise Lasser dubs him) gets a thorough going-over from Curb Your Enthusiasm director Robert B. Weide.
Illustrated with clips and talking heads aplenty (not least Allen’s), A Documentary starts enthusiastically. Running through those “early funny ones”, the Oscar-winning Annie Hall and critical darling Manhattan , the first half is, accordingly, a joy to watch. While early collaborators Tony Roberts and Diane Keaton make appearances, ’80s muse/partner Mia Farrow is unsurprisingly absent.
Their high-profile split during 1992’s Husbands And Wives is covered – in the same brisk manner with which everything else is addressed. Likewise, recent lesser works – “the clunkers” as Mariel Hemingway calls them – are assessed, briefly, by critic F.X. Feeney. Weide largely keeps a respectful distance – which may explain why he gets access to Allen on the set of You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger and in the cutting room.
The funny/serious quandary and Allen’s philosophical/religious beliefs are ticked off, with newer collaborators chipping in. But it results in a sanitised portrait that avoids the difficult questions. As Allen says, “Despite all these lucky breaks, why do I still feel screwed somehow?” Those wanting more might feel the same way.
James Mottram is a freelance film journalist, author of books that dive deep into films like Die Hard and Tenet, and a regular guest on the Total Film podcast. You'll find his writings on 12DOVE and Total Film, and in newspapers and magazines from across the world like The Times, The Independent, The i, Metro, The National, Marie Claire, and MindFood.