SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY begins with Izzy (Imogen Poots) – a call girl who sees herself as a muse. The beautiful blonde affects the lives of her clients in magical ways, which is what makes getting rid of them so difficult. One client hires a private detective to follow her and another, Arnold Albertson (Owen Wilson), gives her 30,000 dollars to help her start a new life. Izzy wants to be an actress. On Broadway, no less. That is where director Peter Bogdanovich ( THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, PAPER MOON) can conjure the surreal characters that he needs for his new film. SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY is a screwball comedy, which can easily get on your nerves with its meandering storylines and excessive slapstick antics, yet Bogdanovich found just the right amount of scurrility during the 7 year process of making the film. He does this even though all the usual screwball turns are there.

There’s ‘coincidence,’ for example. Izzy meets Arnold Alberston again, her generous john, and his wife. He is the director and she is the main actress of Izzy’s first Broadway play. A big secret (another convention) looms over and Bogdanovic delicately maneuvers Izzy through the entanglements. He hides her from the wife in the hotel bathroom and pushes her out of a restaurant window to escape an ex john.

It is a farce, but a successful one. And one that isn’t annoying! Not even when the private detective sneaks around the backstage with a fake mustache. There’s also Jennifer Aniston. She isn’t the callgirl but rather an unorthodox psychologist who has a penchant for slapping people which, as it turns out, she needs to do quite often.

Christine Stöckl

Translation: Elinor Lewy