Sweet and Lowdown MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 Content: -1

In this mock documentary, Woody Allen, a lover of jazz music, and other supposed jazz experts talk about a little known jazz guitarist of the 1930s. Emmet Ray (Sean Penn), by his own estimate, is the worlds second greatest guitar player. As Allen and others mention events in his life, they are played out on screen. Ray professes to have love em and leave em relationships with women. But when he meets the mute Hattie (Samantha Morton), he seems to want her to stay around. When she finally gives him a note that says she loves him, he leaves. The next reference is to his wife Blanche (Uma Thurman), a writer whos drawn to extreme personalities. Shes always trying to figure out feeling and motives for her characters. She thinks that any woman comes second to Rays guitar and his bottled up emotions come out in his playing. Ray leaves after discovering her in an adulterous affair with a gangster. He returns to Hattie to find her married. The music in SWEET AND LOWDOWN will attract jazz fans and the acting is excellent, but audience appeal for Allens films is usually limited.

Although a talented guitar player, Ray gambles or drinks away his earnings. Hes often shown drinking or acting drunk. In one scene, hes offered an opium pipe and other charaters appear to smoke marijuana. Negative affects are indicated as Ray wakes up four days later in another state and loses his job. Although self-centered, Ray give money to beggars and buys nice things for Hattie. After meeting her, Ray takes her to his hotel room, but she begins taking his clothes off. Sex is implied several times as Ray is seen in bed with her. He also talks about working as a pimp for prostitutes. When his manager puts Ray on a budget, he blames Hattie for being extravagant. But he doesnt hesitate to spend counterfeit money he finds by accident. Objectionable language is limited but several regular profanities are used. Sexual content, drug use and profanity sour SWEET AND LOWDOWN.

Preview Reviewer: Paul Bicking
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics, 550 Madison Ave., 8th Flr., NY, NY 10022