Jason Biggs and Chistina Ricci in 'Anything Else'

Anything Else unites Jerry Falk (Jason Biggs), a struggling New York comedy writer, with Amanda (Christina Ricci), an adorable, slightly psychotic sex kitten/singer/actress. Enter Dobel (Allen), an aging school teacher who mentors Jerry on the subtle points of life, love and correct use of a Russian army surplus rifle. The result is a satiric, sentimental and satisfying throwback to Allen's heyday of Annie Hall, Manhattan and Stardust Memories. Rather than cast himself, however, as the awkward-but-charming leading nerd, Allen has spared us the sight of a Viagra-fuelled Woody chasing after Ricci, an actress younger than Allen's car. Instead, the Wood-man has passed the neurotic Freudian Finger of Fate to Jason Biggs, an actor of more appropriate age, if not ability.

Audiences may have a hard time believing Jerry's admiration for existentialist authors like Jean Paul Sartre and Dostoevsky, given that Biggs' previous roles have measured strictly from the waist down in the American Pie trilogy. The difference in generation between the actors and their dialogue also becomes apparent when Amanda spouts off about digging Humphrey Bogart and Billie Holiday. It is clear as club soda that it's Woody Allen's adoration of his heroes we're hearing, not Amanda's or Jerry's. But since Ricci is far more photogenic, especially when proactively posed and erotically attired, my only complaint is that Woody didn't go for an NC-17 rating instead of an R.

Adding to the multi-generation mayhem is Stockard Channing as Paula, Amanda's hard-partying, lounge-singing mother, who is between boyfriends and arrives with piano to live with Amanda in Jerry's apartment. Ms. Channing chimes in her usual solid performance and the caustic chemistry between Paula and Amanda aptly dramatizes the philosophy that the bad apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Stockard goes one step further to surprise moviegoers with a poignant rendition of Peggy Lee's "There'll Be Another Spring," offering a moment's hope that Amanda and Jerry can work out their differences, preferably without Amanda's mother in the next room. The musical interlude also works as Woody's homage to "As Time Goes By" in Casablanca, that other movie about two people's problems not amounting to "a hill of beans in this crazy world."

Lastly, but by no means deserving short change, is Danny DeVito who delivers proper amounts of moxie and melancholy as Jerry's sad-sack manager Harvey, whose public panic attack at being fired is a dramatic tour de farce for DeVito. A little guy who knows more than a thing or two about going over the top.

Comparing Anything Else to the classic pictures Allen directed in the days when he was turning down Academy Award invitations to play clarinet at Michael's on the Upper East Side or showing up at the Oscars in a tux and sneakers is far from fair. There's only one Annie Hall, just as there was only one Louis Armstrong, Groucho Marx or Babe Ruth. But there's little wrong and a lot to learn from Woody continuing to do what he does best: make movies.

Finally, baseball great Satchel Paige, another of Allen's wry, weary heroes, once said in the twilight of his career, "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." With all due respect to Satchel, Anything Else gives movie fans cause to look back and see all they've gained from Woody.