By Rob Rogers
Woody Allen is getting old. But his newest flick, “Small Time Crooks,” is fresh, light and surprisingly upbeat.
Allen, whose last project was last year’s low budget “Sweet and Lowdown,” wrote and directed the film. And Allen also plays the lead, ex-con Ray Winkler.
The movie starts with Winkler and his three friends trying to convince Ray’s reluctant wife Frenchy to go in on their bank-robbing scheme.
The boys rent a store two doors down from a bank and begin to dig a tunnel from the basement. Ray’s wife Frenchy bakes and sells cookies from the shop while Ray and his pals tunnel their way to the bank.
The plan, of course, fails while the cookie shop front becomes a multi-billion dollar Starbucks-style shop chain.
Allen is his usual neurotic, self-depreciating self. But let’s face it, he’s funny.
Tracy Ullman, who play’s Frenchy, is a gem. She sells lowbrow, low class very well.
The one thing that scared me going into the film was Jon Lovitz.
He kind of acts and he’s kind of funny; how is he going to stand on his own in a Woody Allen movie? But he was great. He was at his lowest level of obnoxiousness. He was dry and very funny.
Hugh Grant plays a socialite who wants to get in on the Winkler’s newfound fortune. He’s slick, greasy and despicable, really fun to watch.
But the show stealer was Elaine May, who played Frenchy’s dim-witted cousin and cookie shop employee. She played it to the hilt and pulled it off very well. It wasn’t over the top and it wasn’t forced.
The film’s comedy and conflict rely heavily on the rags-to-riches scenario. Frenchy wants desperately to be sophisticated and proper, while Ray wants to go back to the simple life.
Like the majority of Allen’s films, the editing and camera work are refreshingly slow-paced and thought out.
Cinematographer Fei Zhao, who worked with Allen on “Sweet and Lowdown” holds shots, paces the camera and lets the audience follow the action as it all develops on the screen.
It’s a welcome break to the rapid-fire swing-shots that has become the hallmark of the MTV generation.
Editor Alisa Lepselter, who helms her first picture as editor, paces the movie methodically. She gives time for the audience to watch a scene unfold before switching point of view.
However, the rest of the movie was surprisingly unlike the majority of Woody Allen films.
“Small Time Crooks” is low key, physical humor. Unlike “Mighty Aphrodite” or “Deconstructing Harry,” the film deals less with Allen’s character’s inability to deal with relationships and more with the simple, straightforward comedy of everyday life.
The real treat was the set and costume design. As the Winklers fall into money, their personal styles are magnified 1000 times by the wealth, truly showcasing their tacky, tasteless sense of style. It was a lot of fun to watch.
“Small Time Crooks” was genuinely funny and light-hearted. The comedy lends itself to any audience and the plot is enjoyably fresh.
The film is rated PG for mild language.
Three and a half stars.
