Overview
A heartwarming exploration of love and self-discovery through the lens of a film critic's journey.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- warm
- self deprecating
- date night
- lazy sunday
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a warm, consistently funny romantic comedy enriched by Woody Allen's recognizable neurotic character work, while noting its predictable Broadway-comedy structure.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Humphrey Bogart repeatedly appears to Allan Felix as a fantasy guide modeled on his tough-guy screen persona.
Allan is a film critic whose expectations about romance are shaped by Humphrey Bogart movies and classic Hollywood masculinity.
Allan tries to imitate Bogart's confident persona while dating, and his romantic failures expose the gap between the pose and his real personality.
The apparition of Bogart interrupts Allan's everyday dating experiences and externalizes his inner movie-fed anxieties.
Films like Play It Again, Sam, and why
Annie Hall
neurotic romantic comedy centered on an insecure intellectual navigating dating and self-image
Manhattan
witty romantic comedy blending urban neurosis, literary self-consciousness, and conversational humor
The Purple Rose of Cairo
classic-Hollywood-inflected romantic comedy with a socially awkward protagonist and heightened fantasy elements
Movie Details
- Director
- Herbert Ross
- Release Date
- 1972-05-04
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (662)
Cast
- Woody Allen
- Diane Keaton
- Tony Roberts
- Jerry Lacy
- Susan Anspach
- Jennifer Salt
- Joy Bang
- Viva
- Susanne Zenor
- Diana Davila
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Play It Again, Sam about?
- A lovelorn film critic borrows Humphrey Bogart’s swagger to navigate dating, friendship, and the difficult discovery that authenticity works better than imitation.
- What is Play It Again, Sam like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Play It Again, Sam as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Play It Again, Sam violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Play It Again, Sam.
- What did critics think of Play It Again, Sam?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a warm, consistently funny romantic comedy enriched by Woody Allen's recognizable neurotic character work, while noting its predictable Broadway-comedy structure.
- Which films are like Play It Again, Sam?
- Films with a similar feel include Annie Hall, Manhattan, and The Purple Rose of Cairo.
- How long is Play It Again, Sam?
- Play It Again, Sam runs 85 minutes.
- Where can I watch Play It Again, Sam?
- In United States, Play It Again, Sam is available to rent or buy from JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
