Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

Everyone Says I Love You is not one of Woody Allen's better works and mostly it proves which stars can't sing (John Cusack can't but Alan Alda can), however, everyone takes a risk and performs so well together that Woody's affection for the musical and the scenery in New York and Paris makes it succeed just well enough. You have Woody's usual clatter and patter of conversational multitasking and you have his nebbishness. (Nattering nabobs of nebbishness?) He sleeps with the most beautiful women (in the past or off camera) even though the words Woody Allen and sexy should never be used in the same sentence. The musical numbers are sweet, though you can barely hear Woody's solo and I couldn't believe Julia Roberts did one too. The best numbers are the spectral funeral-home visitees and Woody's duet with Goldie Hawn (whom you have to see in Groucho Marx getup). I also loved the liberal Democratic family clashing constantly with the son turned Republican -- until we find out what caused him to flip! I wouldn't buy this movie but I'd certainly watch it again, with the right companion. I had to locate this movie in videocassette through the library system since this service doesn't currently stock it. 3.5 stars.