Woody Allen is a much funnier writer than Neil Simon and his Play it Again Sam (72) had far more wit in it than this supposedly funny satire. Simon, in pretty much all he's done, demonstrates a genius for the mediocre and there's really noone in this laboured and strained farce who stands out in this waste and time and talent. It's a pity because everyone IN it is wonderful, but not because of their performances in it. I know we're meant to be reduced to helpless laughter by it all but it doesn't work, in my opinion. Dull lines, dull and strained delivery (especially by Louise Fletcher who, whatever else she was, was no comedienne.) For my money if people played it straight they might have got something out of Simon's dull script.
Review of The Cheap Detective
