Rent Zelig (1983)

a neglected gem - Zelig review by CP Customer

this film doesnt often get mentoined in the discussution of woody allens films, which is a shame because its one of his best. the of a human cameleon in depression era america is rendered in a mockumentary style. therefore allens usual persona and obsessions are kept at bay here allowing a more gentle humour to shine through. along with broadway danny rose this is one of woodys most purely pleasurable films.rent it and give this film the attention it so richly deserves.

Lying Like a Documentary, Telling the Truth - Zelig review by griggs

As soon as I started reading it as an immigrant-outsider story — someone so desperate to fit in he’ll literally turn into whoever’s closest — everything made more sense. The history mash-up, the fake media snippets, the period attitudes… it stops feeling like a clever party trick and starts feeling properly pointed, and a bit sad.

The spoof newsreels are the obvious fun, but my favourite bits are the “period experts” calmly explaining total nonsense like it’s established fact. And it doesn’t dodge the era’s uglier stuff either; it bakes in the period’s cosy prejudices, so the laughs come with a sting.

It’s classic Woody Allen: self-deprecation, hypochondria, and social anxiety dressed up as a documentary prank. You can feel its influence on modern satire in the straight-faced authority and documentary texture. It’s hard not to think of The Day Today, Brass Eye, and all the later stuff that learned to lie convincingly in order to tell the truth. Best of all, it sensibly calls time before the trick wears thin, and leaves you amused, unsettled, and oddly moved.

not his best effort - Zelig review by CP Customer

Woody Allen could have done much better than this. The premise was silly and seemed to just put him in historic scenes because computer effects had just evolved to make it possible rather than because it was in any way important to the plot.

I watched this with a psychologist and he was disgusted with the portrayal of his profession.

Don't rent this movie unless you really want to watch every single film Woody Allen has ever made.