"Love and Other Catastrophes" is co-written and co-produced by a Jewish Australian woman, makes some jokes on Woody Allen, and doesn't repeat any of his stereotypes.
There's an interesting Jewish character or two - including a guy named Ari who is a lothario and a guy considering a circumcision due to the demands of his Jewish girlfriend.
It fits nicely in the genre of twentysomething roommates seeking love, i.e. "Singles," "Kicking and Screaming," etc.
The lesbian couple is treated completely naturally and romantically and is really the most interesting couple. None of the guys even assume the lesbian's straight best friend is gay, as I think would happen in most American films.
The film student satires are a bit heavy handed, but on a whole it's a cute, funny first-time movie casually made.
I only recognized two songs out of the whole soundtrack as it was filled with Australian rock 'n' roll I've never heard before.
(originally written 4/2/1997)
