"Blows my mind to think that just like Lana, a chance encounter changed my life." Isabella (Poots) is a call girl who aspires to be an actress. When Arnold (Wilson),a playwright, hires her for the night he gives her a present that changes her life. When Arnold starts casting his next play Isabella shows up to read, with his wife. This starts a chain reaction of events that ends up affecting the lives of everyone involved. I will start by saying that this was a pretty funny movie that really has the feel of a Woody Allen type movie. Many different characters that all have their own story while at the same time being involved with everyone else. This is not a main stream comedy but I thought it was funny. The dialog is very witty and the pacing and timing really give the movie the extra push it needs for the comedy to really come through. This is not a movie for everyone but those that like the quirky, Woody Allen-esqe type movies this is one for you. Overall, funnier than I expected. A brilliantly written comedy that isn't for everyone but is one that is worth seeing if you are into this type of comedy. I give it a B.

Peter Bogdanovich was one of the directors who came about in the late '60s to early '70s whose movies signaled the new direction that cinema would take. Unlike most of the directors, Bogdanovich incorporated nostalgia in his work. "Targets" cast Boris Karloff as an aging horror star; "The Last Picture Show" looked at the changes in a small town; "What's Up, Doc?" was a remake of "Bringing Up Baby"; "Paper Moon" focused on the Depression.

Bogdanovich continues this pattern with "She's Funny That Way", about an assortment of people involved in the production of a play. It references the old screwball comedies. It's not a masterpiece, but the mixture of comedy and relatable characters make it worth the while. Bogdanovich loosely references some of his own work by casting Cybill Shepherd in a supporting role and Tatum O'Neal in a cameo (there's an even more surprising cameo at the end).

An OK movie.

Izzy Finkelstein/Isabella Patterson (Imogen Poots) recounts her story to reporter Judy (Illeana Douglas). It's four years earlier. Family-man director Arnold Albertson (Owen Wilson) arrives at his Manhattan hotel and calls for an escort. Vickie (Debi Mazar) sends Isabella over to the hotel. He gives her $30k to get out of sex work to pursue her acting dreams. Jane Claremont (Jennifer Aniston) is Izzy's callous therapist. Next, Izzy shows up at an audition for Arnold's play.

Peter Bogdanovich seems to be going for the Woody Allen vibe. Imogen Poots is trying for the Jersey girl hooker with a heart of gold. I can't get over the Brit pushing her accent work. Mira Sorvino was much better in this role. Aniston is playing an inappropriate therapist which borders between trying too hard and the only consistent wacky laughs. She's doing a different movie. The cast is top notch. Overall, the laughs don't come often enough but is enough to keep things interesting.