Sweet and Lowdown

1999 1h 35m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 577

ComedyDramaMusic

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In the 1930s, jazz guitarist Emmet Ray idolizes Django Reinhardt, faces gangsters and falls in love with a mute woman.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Sean Penn
Emmet Ray
Samantha Morton
Hattie
Anthony LaPaglia
Al Torrio
Uma Thurman
Blanche Williams
James Urbaniak
Harry
John Waters
Mr. Haynes
Gretchen Mol
Ellie
Denis O'Hare
Jake

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Woody Allen
Writers: Woody Allen
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 15% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

ERA

Did you know

27 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Woody Allen, shot by Zhao Fei. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Alisa Lepselter shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Sean Penn and Samantha Morton and Anthony LaPaglia carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0158371 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Woody Allen directs. Zhao Fei behind the camera. Alisa Lepselter cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 15% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
227 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Woody Allen, shot by Zhao Fei. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Editor Alisa Lepselter shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Sean Penn and Samantha Morton and Anthony LaPaglia carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0158371 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Zhao Fei
Editing: Alisa Lepselter
Production design: Santo Loquasto
Costume design: Laura Bauer
Makeup / hair: Rosemary Zurlo
VFX supervisor: Thomas Rosseter
Sound: Lee Dichter
Stunt coordinator: Peter Bucossi
Runtime: 95 min · 1h 35m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $29,750,000
Box office: $4,525,794
Return: 15% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Sweet and Lowdown (1999)

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Woody Allen

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-05-08
★ 6/10
Presented in a documentary style, this drama looks at the life of the fictional jazz guitarist "Emmet Ray" (Sean Penn). Now, of course, he is American so is naturally the best in the whole wide world, well second best actually, and that is testified to by frequent obsequious pieces-to-camera from purported experts and then by his own performances as he plays standards from the likes of Django Reinhardt, the masterful Stéphane Grapelli and Duke Ellington. Director Woody Allen has a penchant for this style of music, and as faux-homages go this isn't at all bad. That's really thanks to a strong contribution from Sean Penn as the frankly pretty odious character who's selfishness was probably only eclipsed by his increasing obsession with the shy mute "Hattie" (a gorgeous effort from Samantha Morton) who comes to depend on him, but might he actually come to depend on her too - despite himself? It's a great looking film with plenty of attention to detail, and it does work well at illustrating just how important it is for people to have decent anchors in their lives. The dialogue is all a bit too relentless for me with very little time to come up for air as this rattles along but it's all genuinely and uncomfortably plausible at times, too. Pity about the constant hyperbole, though - how can anyone be the best guitarist? Hmmm?

Production companies