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"ANYTHING ELSE"
(2003) (Jason Biggs, Christina Ricci) (R)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Heavy None Heavy Mild Moderate
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None None None Moderate
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Heavy Heavy Mild Moderate Mild


QUICK TAKE:
Romantic Comedy: A young comedy writer tries to figure out why his neurotic girlfriend won't be intimate with him anymore.
PLOT:
Jerry Falk (JASON BIGGS) is a comedy writer whose neurotic and manipulative live-in girlfriend, Amanda (CHRISTINA RICCI), won't sleep with him anymore. Jerry's new friend, paranoid school teacher-cum-comedy writer David Dobel (WOODY ALLEN) doesn't think that's good. While giving him all sorts of philosophical and comedy based advice about that as well as him needing a survival kit and gun, he also tells Jerry that he should dump his washed up manager, Harvey (DANNY DEVITO).

Jerry, who has a weakness when it comes to breaking off unsuccessful relationships - be they romantic or professional - can't bring himself to do that, especially since he's Harvey's only client. He also can't break up with Amanda, despite believing she's cheating on him. Things only get worse when Amanda's alcoholic and washed up singer mom, Paula (STOCKARD CHANNING), moves in with them.

With David filling Jerry's head with all sorts of disturbing thoughts, the young writer must decide what to do in his professional and personal lives.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're fans of someone in the cast or Woody Allen's films, they just might, but this otherwise seems most attractive to older teens at best.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R
For a scene of drug use and some sexual references.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • JASON BIGGS plays a near nihilistic comedy writer who won't dump Amanda despite her using and cheating on him. He drinks some and falls prey to David's thoughts and beliefs.
  • CHRISTINA RICCI plays his neurotic and manipulative girlfriend who cheats on him, smokes, drinks, and apparently uses cocaine in one scene.
  • STOCKARD CHANNING plays her washed up singer mother who's a loud alcoholic and snorts cocaine.
  • DANNY DEVITO plays a talent manager whose only client is Jerry.
  • WOODY ALLEN plays a school teacher-cum-comedy writer who's paranoid, gives Jerry all sorts of advice and uses some profanity.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    Here's a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated romantic comedy. Profanity consists of at least 1 "s" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Many instances of sexually related dialogue are present (including talk of affairs, orgasm and masturbation), while some brief fooling around is seen. A woman is occasionally seen in revealing/scanty attire.

    Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while violence consists of a character smashing another car with a tire iron. There's also talk of him shooting a state trooper (and other non-violent scenes involve guns), but we don't know if that story is true or not.

    One character smokes a great deal, while she and others drink and several people are briefly seen snorting cocaine. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Jerry tells Amanda they'll have some wine with dinner.
  • Various characters have drinks in a club.
  • When Jerry contradicts his normal self, his significant other of old asks him how much he's had to drink and then twice says that he's drunk. The next day, she comments on him throwing up the night before (which we don't see).
  • Jerry's former significant other comments on him smelling of alcohol when he returns home (he says he had wine).
  • People have drinks in a club.
  • Paula has a drink.
  • Paula says, "I could use a drink."
  • Amanda drinks several swigs from mini-bottles of vodka in a hotel room.
  • People have wine with lunch.
  • People have drinks at a party, including Amanda, while Jerry has a beer.
  • Paula wonders where Amanda keeps her Valium and Jerry goes off to get her some.
  • Paula talks of meeting someone at her AA meeting.
  • A guy asks David if he's high on crack (in reference to a squabble over a parking space).
  • In a flashback, Jerry imagines a date turning into Amanda and saying that wine has put her in the mood.
  • Paula and her date show up and prepare to snort cocaine. Jerry can't believe this, but Amanda says she never tried it and wants to now. She then urges Jerry to join them and says that maybe the coke will "turn me on." We then see Paula and her date snort that cocaine (and drink right after that) and it's implied that Amanda does as well.
  • People have drinks in a bar.
  • As a man appears to be having a heart attack, David asks others, "Can we get him some brandy?"
  • Jerry, Amanda and a friend of hers have wine with dinner. Jerry then states that he was a little drunk from two drinks.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • None.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • David refers to Harvey (who's very short) as the "little troll."
  • Amanda tells Jerry that she already ate before their anniversary dinner that Jerry planned at a fancy restaurant.
  • Jerry and Amanda have an affair in the past despite being involved with others. She then repeatedly cheats on Jerry in the past and present.
  • Jerry lies to his former significant other in the past about his whereabouts and activities.
  • David, who's paranoid, tells Jerry that he heard some guy state that "Jews start all wars" (upon passing Jerry and David).
  • Two large punks steal David's parking space and are then threatening and demeaning to him. In turn, David returns and bashes their car (breaking the widows and headlights, etc.) with a tire iron.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Two large punks steal David's parking space and are then threatening and demeaning to him. In turn, David returns and bashes their car (breaking the widows and headlights, etc.) with a tire iron. After that, his car briefly won't start as those men return.
  • A character appears to be having a heart attack (somewhat played for comedy), but we later hear he's okay.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • We see many rifles and David handles a grenade in a gun store.
  • David convinces Jerry to buy a rifle and we then see him with it in his place (unloaded). He also states he has a loaded gun in every room at his home.
  • David states that he shot a state trooper, but we don't know if that's true or not.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "That's bullsh*t," "Nuts" (crazy), "Nut house," "Little troll," "What the hell /is that/are these/are you doing?" "Screwing up," "I don't care who the hell he is," "Idiot," "Cretin," "Imbecile," "How the hell would he know?" "Freak," "You're slow, you blow," "Idiots," "Jerks" and "Losers."
  • A miscellaneous woman wears a midriff-revealing top.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 1 "s" word, 3 slang terms for sex ("doing it"), 9 hells, 2 asses, 2 damns, 9 uses of "God," 7 each of "My God" and "Oh God," 4 each of "G-damn" and "Jesus," 3 each of "Christ" and "Oh God" and 1 use each of "For God's sakes," "God's sakes" and "Jesus Christ."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • Amanda shows a lot of thigh in a hiked up robe as she sits across a chair.
  • We see Amanda in her small panties and a tight, cropped t-shirt that shows the shape of her ample bosom and nipples.
  • A comment is made about pornographic slides used with an old stereoscope viewer (we don't see anything).
  • Jerry's former significant other comments on Amanda having an offbeat sexual quality.
  • We see a small poster in a record store that shows a woman in a bikini or small panties bottom with her arms covering her bare breasts.
  • Amanda tells Jerry that the diet pills she's taking decrease her appetite but increase her sexual drive. The two then briefly but passionately kiss (in a store while clothed).
  • In a flashback, Amanda tells Jerry that she loves "doing it" in hotels. She then tells him that she's been the "other woman" before and we then see the two of them in bed under the covers, presumably after sex. Later, Jerry's then significant other sarcastically comments on him saying the bite marks on his back were from falling on a comb.
  • Jerry comments on how he and Amanda made love everywhere.
  • Jerry and Amanda (who's in the above panties and tight/cropped t-shirt) make out with him between her legs as she partially lies in the chair. She then makes him stop and he says that it's not natural that they now no longer sleep together and that it's been six months since they did. She then twice tells him that he can sleep with other women, just as long as he doesn't tell her about it. She then comments on closing her eyes, gritting her teeth and "let you do it to me."
  • David comments to Jerry, "You haven't consummated your passion with this woman?" (referring to Amanda and the 6 month period). He then tells Jerry that a million women would be excited to go to bed with Jerry, and then amends that to saying Jerry could find one if he got her drunk.
  • After Amanda says that her mother staying with them will only be temporary, Jerry sarcastically asks, "Like our lovemaking?"
  • David asks Jerry (in a matter of fact fashion), "Do you masturbate?" Jerry says that he does "now and then" but that he doesn't really enjoy it. David wonders if that's because his hand falls asleep and Jerry says he prefers the real thing. David then says he prefers it over the real thing and then goes on about a fantasy he had about being in a threesome with two actresses.
  • Later, David tries to convince Jerry to buy a gun and asks what he'd do if he were home masturbating when someone broke into his place.
  • Hoping to rekindle their sex life, Jerry persuades Amanda to check into a hotel with him. Once in their suite, she isn't ready and complains about the lies, prompting him to comment on her formerly liking making loving with the lights on and in a sunny room with mirrors. After turning off the lights and some brief kissing, we hear them on the bed and there are some comments about taking off their clothes, but the sound of the change in his pocket spooks her and they stop (and the lights come back on).
  • We see Amanda in her bra (that shows cleavage) as a doctor examines her, including briefly cupping her breast with his hand. Later, Jerry complains that the doctor had better sex with her than he's had in six months.
  • David tells Jerry that he believes Amanda is cheating on Jerry. Because of that, Jerry later asks Amanda if she wants to sleep with a certain actor.
  • There's some brief talk about sex and philosophy.
  • Jerry discovers that Amanda's diaphragm is missing. He later tells his shrink that he finds the thought of her sleeping with someone else both excruciating and exciting. He later discusses this with David who wonders why she's not using the pill instead, and then when Jerry wonders where the diaphragm is, David replies, "I can imagine."
  • Amanda admits to sleeping with another guy when Jerry confronts her about that.
  • Amanda tells Jerry that she had sex with another guy to see if she could get aroused again and have an orgasm. She then tells him that the good news is that she can. She then goes on to say that they had to try every form of foreplay, that she did it as much for Jerry as for her, and that she can have orgasms, including multiple ones where she claws the walls.
  • David refers to Amanda as a "loving disabled sex kitten."
  • In a flashback, Jerry imagines a date turning into Amanda and saying that wine has put her in the mood.
  • In a flashback, Amanda admits that she made love to another guy, but was thinking of Jerry whenever and wherever they were "doing it," including the Vatican.
  • Jerry states, "We made love that night" and we then see him and Amanda under the coves, he's partially on top of her and they're kissing, but there's no nudity or movement.
  • Amanda urges Jerry to join her, Paula and some guy in snorting some cocaine and adds that maybe the coke will "turn me on."
  • A woman shows some cleavage.
  • Jerry confronts Amanda about sleeping with another guy and she states she did so just once to see if they were compatible.
  • Amanda comments on Jerry putting up with "my inability to function sexually." She then tells him they should make love one last time for old time's sake.
  • SMOKING
  • Amanda smokes at least 10 times.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • We hear that Jerry is divorced.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Being faithful to others.
  • Amanda, who's fit and trim, keeps saying that she's fat.
  • Living together.
  • David, who's paranoid, tells Jerry that he heard some guy state that "Jews start all wars" (upon passing Jerry and David).
  • We hear that David is an atheist and Jerry wants to write a novel about a Godless universe.
  • David's comment that one should learn to depend only on yourself.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Two large punks steal David's parking space and are then threatening and demeaning to him. In turn, David returns and bashes their car (breaking the widows and headlights, etc.) with a tire iron.
  • David states that he shot a state trooper, but we don't know if that's true or not.



  • Reviewed September 16, 2003 / Posted September 19, 2003

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