148 - Zelig

    Presented as a documentary, Leonard Zelig is a peculiar man, who takes on the characteristics of those around him.  This manifests as both physical and personality changes.  During the 1920's, Zelig becomes a celebrity, then falls out of favor, all the while, working with a doctor to try to cure him of his uncontrollable changing.
    I've only seen one other Woody Allen movie - and that was a slightly more serious one, Sweet and Lowdown.  Despite not being aware of much else that Allen has done, this played out exactly as I expected.
    This is a comedy, but it's so gentle.  Most of the jokes are funny, but they feel a little predictable.  Almost like Mel Brooks, but less risqué.
    I enjoyed this movie, but I didn't feel like it was great.  It's pleasing.  It's framed as a documentary, which gave a good amount of flexibility in how the story would be presented.  I suppose the weakness may have been that there didn't seem to be much plot.  It was almost entirely just a character study.
    There were some nicely handled issues of identity, and the need to blend in.  And the romance is peculiar.  It doesn't seem that interesting, but it ended very well.

    As I watched this, I kept thinking that it would be much funnier to me at a younger age, when the jokes he delivers are more fresh.