The problem with Woody Allen’s Anything Else is its marketing strategy. The film’s posters were obviously designed to attract, first off, young fans of Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci. Fine. Second, the posters, like the DVD cover (which had bright red side-casing), were coloured pink-and-white, with a picture of Jason Biggs hunched over, holding a large heart on his back, with Christina Ricci’s face inside the heart. Beneath was the tagline ‘Because true love isn’t like “anything else”’. This screams the wrong message. It painfully conveys the film to be another run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, which it is not.
And while Woody Allen is mentioned as one of the film’s stars, there is no clear indication that he wrote and directed Anything Else (just the fine print at the bottom of the DVD’s reverse). This was probably intended to hide Allen’s involvement, due to his run of unsuccessful films in previous years. The film’s description on the reverse is just as censurable, describing Biggs and Ricci’s encounters and a subsequent struggle to ‘make it work’, ending with ‘a hilarious romantic comedy which proves true love isn’t like “anything else”’. While not technically lying, this is deceptive, as it gives the impression of a different film with a different premise. This whole approach makes a mockery of a very good film. It was packaged to look like something it is not, to make money. This serves a major disadvantage, as the film itself is far superior than its misleading packaging would have audiences believe.
Anti-Rom-Com
First off, Anything Else is more like an antidote to the poison that is the modern day romantic comedy. It is a clever story of human relationships and having the guts to make gigantic leaps in life, despite bad habits holding you back. It does not have the formulaic romantic comedy ending (boy and girl succeed and live happily ever after). In fact, the romantic premise of the film is used as a symbol of ‘blindness’ and something negative, not a powerful conquer-all resolution.
Relationships, Risks, Survival
Young writer Jerry Falk’s (Biggs) relationship with David Dobel (Allen) is just as significant as his relationship with Amanda (Ricci). In fact, it is Falk and David’s bond that leaves a genuine impression when the screen goes dark and the credits roll. Jerry has issues with taking chances in life. By his own admission, he cannot muster the courage to leave people. This includes Amanda, who is afraid of commitment and, after the initial steamy honeymoon period of their relationship, pushes Jerry away, while she lusts after other men.
Throughout the film, David guides Jerry. He teaches him to survive. David’s advice cuts between philosophical and downright outrageous. David wants to mould Jerry into a one-man army, buying him rifles and various survival kits. But what he really succeeds in is teaching Jerry to be brave enough to do the right thing and leave poisonous counter-productive relationships behind and progress into success. He does this by shining a candid light on Jerry and Amanda’s life together, even revealing ‘She’s cheating on you’ while Jerry’s head was too far in a cloud to suspect anything. David similarly assists Jerry on his working relationship with his manager Harvey (Danny DeVito). Jerry hasn’t had much success under Harvey’s wing, so David convinces Jerry to end their contract. As Jerry’s old habits are hard to break, David spends much of the film working his magic to get him to see the light.
Break Old Habits. Leap of Faith
David is an eccentric character, who uses unusually big words and has a twisted perspective on the world. But in a funny way, he makes the most sense, as Jerry eventually understands.
David invites Jerry to California to write a TV show together. This is Jerry’s incentive to terminate his work contract with Harvey and break ties with Amanda – two major sources of Jerry’s lack of progress.
Eventually, Jerry and David are set to leave for California. This is when David hits Jerry with the revelation he shot a police officer and must go into hiding indefinitely. He insists that Jerry goes to California alone, saying he has arranged his reception and his job is waiting. Jerry does take the plunge – thankfully, as his happiness is already palpably unfolding in the taxicab out. Jerry does mention that he doesn’t know for sure if there was any such shooting involving David. This prompts the questions, did it even happen, and was it just part of an elaborate plan of David’s to make Jerry break bad habits and make a colossal leap into his career and a new life ?
Woody Allen’s character-driven films make for fascinating viewing. Although some old themes are employed in Anything Else, it is still an intriguing, entertaining piece of cinema.
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