EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU

US, 1996, 97 minutes, Colour.
Woody Allen, Alan Alda, Drew Barrymore, Goldie Hawn, Gaby Hoffman, Edward Norton, Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman, Tim Roth, Natasha Lyonne, Lukas Haas, David Ogden Stiers.
Directed by Woody Allen.

Woody Allen being very genial. He still provides many a funny line, but (whatever the difficulties in real life in recent years) his annual movie this time is a fluffy romantic comedy with songs and a little dancing. While we are on familiar Manhattan ground, Allen also takes us to Venice and to Paris. His characters are less neurotic than usual (his is not!) and most of them are nice. And he has employed a very talented cast, even if singing is not their forte: Goldie Hawn, Julia Roberts, Alan Alda in the leads. However, his tribute to the old time musicals might seem a bit twee to some viewers. It is souffle Allen.

1. An entertaining Woody Allen film? In comparison with his other films? Woody Allen in his early sixties? His life experience during the '90s? His vision of life, romance, love?

2. The New York settings? The affluent streets, parks? Affluent society? The comparisons with Paris and its beauty? Venice and its beauty?

3. The film as a musical: the homage to musicals of the '40s and '50s? The range of songs - popular American songs, romantic songs? Their place in the action of the film, contributing to the action, contributing to an understanding of the characters? The ability of the stars to sing their songs? The songs given to each of them?

4. The title and the indication of Woody Allen's romantic outlook?

5. The impact of the opening number? Holden and Skylar? Holden and his romance, love for Skylar, the background dancers?

6. The voice-over of DJ and her giving the information about the plot, the characters, the relationships, their backgrounds? Her telling the story - from the point of view of the teenage girl? Woody Allen's perception of the views and attitudes of a girl like this?

7. Holden and Skylar, Skylar and her place in the family, her relationship to her parents? Holden and his working in the firm? His own parents - and their visit, their love for their son, looking forward to the marriage, the encounter with Charles, the escaped convict? The romantic scene of the buying of the ring - and the musical number about Skylar loving Holden more than the ring? The amusing song-and-dance routines - and Holden's awkwardness? The meal, his placing the ring in the dessert, the build-up, Skylar's swallowing the ring - the transfer to the hospital, the x-rays, the nurses and doctors all enthusiastic about the ring? the song‑and‑ dance routine in the hospital wards? The build-up to the marriage - and Charles's arrival, his attractiveness, the scene with Skylar on the balcony, his song, her attraction towards him, the kiss? The break-up with Holden? Her being made to participate in the jailbreak, the car, the walk in the Fall leaves, the prisoners, the pursuit by the police, her wanting to get out? Her being cured? Holden arriving dressed as the Devil for Halloween, the easy reconciliation and his intensity of love for her? Their future?

8. DJ and her infatuations, her relationship with Steffi and Bob? Her love for her own father? Going to Venice for the holidays? The background of her stepsisters, school, infatuations? The hole in the wall and their listening to Von's therapy? DJ using all the information to brief her father, encouraging him to meet Von? The jogging and Greg's not going - but his actually being there? The Tintoretto lesson? The chance encounter at the social? The detailed information and her father using it? The return to New York, her observations? The engagement to the gondolier in Venice, the meeting of the boy in the taxi at the airport, the rap singer and her going to the club?

9. The comparisons with her younger sisters? Their gossip at school, behaviour at home, place in the family? The attraction to the boy that they didn't know - meeting him by chance, throwing themselves at him, finding his name, his dating them both? The sister who was taken aside and told that he had a crush on the other sister? Steffi's consolation of her daughter - plenty more infatuations? The reconciliation?

10. Grandpa and his place in the family, his wanderings, the oddball remarks? The maid and her Germanic style taking him for a walk? His sudden death - and the wake in the funeral parlour, the ghosts coming out of the coffins, the song-and-dance routines about life? Overflowing into the street? The family and their discussions, the philosophy of life and death? Forming the conga line?

11. The Germanic maid, her place in the household, the allusions to Hitler, the Italians only having sauce on pasta, taking Grandpa for a walk, her place in the household?

12. Joe, Woody Allen and his idiosyncrasies, his phobias? The marriage to Steffi, producing the daughter, their getting on each other's nerves, the divorce? His continually going back to Steffi and Bob for advice? His discussion about Giselle leaving him? His living in Paris, trying to write? The attraction to Von? The holiday in Venice with his daughter, her urging him to date Von, the encounter with the jogging and the comedy about his clothes, stalking her, the chance meeting, his almost stroke? His studying up the Tintoretto, the discussion in the gallery? Her response to him, the kiss at the social? His feeding back to her all the information from the therapy sessions about her dreams and fantasies, the elevator, Bora Bora, the African daisy? His return to New York, the encounter with Von, the affair, their discussions, going to Paris, the ideal? His not being able to go to the social because of Von's leaving him, the flashback and her explanations, the fantasy being fulfilled and her not needing it any more, her return to Greg? His desperation? His going to the dance, the Groucho Marx comedy, the nostalgia and discussions with Steffi? Their magic dance by the River Seine, the kiss - but no future in it? Another character in Woody Allen's gallery of neurotics?

13. Von, Julia Roberts and her glamour, her lack of confidence, the discussions with the therapist, being overheard? Her relationship with Greg? Their having nothing in common? The jogging, the encounter with Joe, her concern about his health? The shared discussions about Tintoretto and his style? The meeting at the social, the details of her fantasy, Joe as the fulfilment of her dreams? The return to America, the girls listening in on the further therapy, knowing that Joe had a chance? The affair, her going to France, the apartment with him? The bond, his being the ideal man? Her getting over her phobia and her fantasy? Her wanting to return to Greg?

14. Goldie Hawn's glamour and comic style? The family and its chatter, her concern about her children? Love for Bob? Their listening to Joe's problems and giving him advice? The sardonic remarks about their past? The concern about Skylar's wedding - and the concern when it was off? Holden's parents? Her dealing with her daughter's problems? Her social concerns, the violin recital to raise money? Her speech about space for prisoners - and the unresponsive audience of police? Her campaign at the prison, Charles and his release, his coming to the party? Her acknowledging of causes in the abstract - but not for real people, especially when they are infatuated with her daughter? The reconciliation of Holden and Skylar? The entertainment of the Halloween night and the children's performances and singing? Going to Paris, Bob and his cold, Joe and his lament, the Groucho Marx party, the conversation, the nostalgia, the final dancing, the kiss - and her going back to Bob?

15. Bob as genial, love for Steffi, listening to Joe's problems? His concern about his son and his right-wing republican stances? His amazement? The meals, the engagement, his stern attitude towards his children, especially about Charles and his reaction to his being present at the meal? The Halloween night, his understanding of Joe, the cold in Paris, not going to the party?

16. The right-wing son, mouthing humorously the republican slogans, his collapse, cure of his blood problem, his becoming a left-wing radical?

17. The minor characters - the people in the shop, the people at the parties, Holden's parents? The people in the hospital? The taxi driver? The building up of a background of characters in the musical comedy style?

18. Charles, the ex-convict, his prison know-how and commentary, wariness of people, attracted to Skylar, the kiss? Their walking in the park, the date, the car, the escaped prisoners and his ditching her?

19. The realism/stylised nature of the film? The characters - multidimensional or one-dimensional? Their songs, musical and comedy routines?

20. The themes of love, family, romance? Problems? A light-hearted look at Woody Allen Land?