Play It Again, Sam

'Play it Again, Sam' is Woody Allen's tribute to 'Casablanca'. It's been ages since I've seen 'Casablanca' and it didn't appeal to me as much. It may be advisable to watch it before seeing Allen's film, mainly due to the frequent references and the story itself is a homage. Obviously the director's a big fan of Humphrey Bogart and perhaps he sees a lot of himself in the moviestar.

The whimsical narrative structure follows Allen's usual style. The characters have also been witnessed in Allen's other films. Allen himself plays his signature neurotic persona rambling on about psychosexual stuff. Tony Roberts does a fine job as Linda's fiancé who's usually absent when Linda needs him. Diane Keaton is outstanding. She looks stunning and her performance is excellently natural. Jerry Lacy does a good job of mimicking Bogart. In addition, I liked the soundtrack and enjoyed the playful cinematography.

This film is classic Allen, a delight to watch. Even though I didn't like 'Casablanca' when I last saw it, 'Play It Again, Sam' makes me want to give it another chance. Perhaps I should.