Zelig
Director: Woody Allen
Year Released: 1983
Rating: 3.0
Brilliant technical skills by Mr. Allen make this a interesting addition to his canon, which, when compared to most other "important" directors, crushes them without breaking a sweat. Here he plays Leonard Zelig, a human chameleon, who, for all intents and purposes, was an ultra-conformist, transforming himself into whoever he meets for fear of not being liked. The pseudo-documentary format used works wonders and the modern-day interviews with famous intellectuals (child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim, the ubiquitous Ms. Susan Sontag) scattered throughout add to the realism. Sure it runs on a bit long, but as an examination of personality and society it works. The fake-doc approach would be used later on in his career in "Sweet and Lowdown."
