Sweet and lowdown

Set in the 1930s “Sweet and lowdown” is about a jazz musician who achieves a certain level of fame and respect, with his fingerpicking style. Sean Penn plays Emmet Ray, a talented and vain musician who is socially gauche with a crude personality and amoral ways. When Ray is not playing, he is pimping, thieving or shooting rats at the dump for fun. Ray suffers from an inferiority complex to the famous jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt with whom he constantly compares himself. Despite considering that settling down is detrimental to his artistic drive, Ray forms a deep emotional attachment to a mute girl named Hattie (Samantha Morton) who is enchanted by his music. “Sweet and lowdown” retains a light comical edge throughout and should prove delightful to fans of jazz guitar. As a part of its mockumentary style, several contemporary interviews with jazz experts, including Woody Allen, give insight into Ray’s talent, collectively pondering his mysterious demise. Also stars: Anthony LaPaglia, Uma Thurman and Gretchen Mol.