What makes it different from others?

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

This film is not perfect. It's not perfect, because Heather Graham is, at times, too good an impersonator of the young Diane Keaton, and the younger Juliet Lewis. I am thinking of their performances in Woody Allen's 'Annie Hall' and 'Husbands and Wives,' respectively. It's not perfect because the documentary-style, pathos-generating device of the character-interview does not always generate pathos the way that it's supposed to, and instead leaves you feeling a little annoyed at being short-changed on the pathos you had perhaps unconsciously bargained for.However, as a film that you accidentally stumble across late of an evening (these, of course, not being circumstances that you'll be able to replicate if you're reading this review intending to watch it) it's almost, pretty near, goddamn, close to perfect. This is because of the feel, or atmosphere that the film has. This, admittedly, has a lot to do with the synchronisation of the soundtrack and the cinematography- but there are times when these aspects cohere really beautifully with the performances (particularly those of David Krumholtz and Brittany Murphy). To get the technical stuff out of the way, the shooting style is unashamedly Woody Allenesque, and so is the structure for that matter- what with the aforementioned interspersed character-interviews. It's not really fair to call it a rip-off, though: Allen stole that particular device (not to mention most of the plot of 'Husbands and Wives') from Bergman's magisterial 'Scenes from a Marriage.' Looting from Bergman's treasure-chest is something that should be encouraged. Suffice it to say, there are jump-cuts and they don't feel irritatingly stylised.But, anyway, back to 'Sidewalks of New York.' The film deals with themes of sex and love. There's a lot of cheating and declaring. Cheating, declaring, and sex. No great, new insights are offered into the subject... there's nothing here that you won't find in Anna Karenina or Madame Bovary on the subjects of marriage, sex and extra-marital sex or the consequences thereof for the two former... The great parts of the film happen when Director Ed Burns manages to create a really exciting and plausible moment.Most of these involve the brilliant David Krumholtz. See in particular his attempts early on in the film to woo Murphy's student/waitress/unhappy-concubine-to-an-unfaithful-dentist character. And his subsequent abortive serenading of that girl in the café where she works (more endearing than any song might have been). Krumholtz, who is the key Allen surrogate in the film, emerges as a great character-actor, much as Paul Giamatti did in 'American Splendor.' And much in the vein or mould of a Giamatti or Steve Buscemi (see 'Trees Lounge' and 'Ghost World'). Many of the more telegenic alumni of the class of 'Ten Things I Hate About You' have since graduated to bigger things. Notably the late Heath Ledger and, more recently, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who appeared in the more recent, more saccharine, more popular, more irritatingly shiny and happy, and more not-as-good Woody Allen homage '500 Hundred Days of Summer.' Krumholtz has kept a lower profile, appearing in the great Barry Levinson's watchable 'Liberty Heights.' Once again, though only a marginal role, his was the best performance for sheer wit, charm and believability.

This is a very funny movie. The subject matter is near and dear to everyone's heart: Dating and relationships, marital or otherwise. The story centers around 6 main characters that are made to look like they're just regular people on the streets of New York. Each one is `interviewed' on the street about topics ranging from sex, dating and relationships. Then we see what each person's dating or marital life is like. Each of the 6 people's lives are intertwined somehow throughout the movie. A well done, well acted cross-section of the 6 people's love lives. Also, look for Dennis Farina's character. This guy had me rolling on the floor laughing; everything he said and did was funny to me. An enjoyable hour and a half. Highly recommended.

I thought this documentary style movie was OK, but coming from a small town I really can't relate to big city life. But, I thought the story was OK and ironic sometimes. The movie follows several people as they talk about their relationships. None of them are in happy ones. And a lot of it is about cheating and one night stands. None of the actors really stand out.FINAL VERDICT: It had nothing that would make me want to see this again. It isn't bad, it just isn't anything special. Maybe if you live this type of lifestyle in a big city, you may want to check this movie out.

Similar, yet different, from his other films ("The Brother's McMullen" and `She's the One'), writer/director/producer/actor Edward Burns, with his typical minuscule budget, broaches on Woody Allen territory this time as he explores the ooohs, aaahs and owwwws (mostly the owwwws) of the marriage and dating game. The sights and sounds of New York is in the air as the movie zeroes in on six disparate Manhattanites, all of whom trying their damnest to find the no-real answer to happiness. No belly-laughs here, but a lot of knowing smiles.This brash, perceptive, ultimately winning cyclical comedy first introduces us to good-looking, nice-guy Tommy (Ed Burns) who has just split up with his girlfriend and has been thrown out of her apartment. Tommy takes a sudden interest in evasive school teacher Maria (Rosario Dawson), whom he meets in a video store. Maria is divorced from small, tough-talking schlmiel Ben (David Krumholtz), a doorman and rock musician wannabe who cheated on her. Ben, still pining for Maria, finds a welcome distraction in edgy student/waitress Ashley (Brittany Murphy), who is having an affair with a much older and married dentist, Griffin (Stanley Tucci), whose suspecting wife Annie (Heather Graham), a real estate agent, has her eye on one of her customers, Tommy (back to Ed Burns again), who is (remember?) looking for a new pad since his girlfriend kicked him out. So much for the Kevin Bacon six degrees of separations and divorces angle.To punch up the thought processes of our six relationship-minded specimens, Burns has given his film a documentary/reality TV feel. Each of our protagonists express their own individual and personal philosophies on the meaning of love and sex with a `man on the street' interviewer. These telling bits are conveniently spliced here and there into each of their ongoing stories, which are not only a biting commentary on the social scene, but often humorously contradict their actions and intent. Burns, a native New Yorker, gives us a passionate, authentic, down-to-earth vision of his 'hood. No picaresque postcard images are to be found here. No tourist-like views of Rockefeller Center, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, etc. And just as dressed-down and down-to-earth is his solid ensemble cast. The stories are evenly laid out with no one performance getting short shrift. Burns, Dawson, Tucci, Murphy, Klumholtz, and Graham all have meaty roles here and each of their stories are well-presented and attention-grabbing. The philandering Tucci character, the least sympathetic of the bunch, still manages to drum up some pity, if not sympathy, for his subsequent actions. What's more, the outside circle, the peripheral friends/instigators/colleagues, etc., add immeasurably to the humor and atmosphere of the piece, particularly Aida Turturro as a worldly wise teacher/friend of Dawson's, Dennis Farina as Burns' overt male chauvinist boss, Michael Leydon Campbell in dual roles as a rocker and male half of a bickering married couple, and Callie Thorne as the bickering wife.No one treats New York better than Woody Allen. With "Sidewalks of New York" Edward Burns pays tribute to this fair city, and he pays homage to Mr. Allen -- 1992's "Husbands and Wives" in particular. Notice Burns' analytical approach to his characters, the hand-held camera work and jump-cut style of editing (which is actually smoother and less jolting than in Allen's above-mentioned film), the pneumatic jazz score, the reflexive, conversational-like bantering between his characters, the episodic storylines, and, most importantly, the obvious devotion he has for NY. It all but spells out W-O-O-D-Y. But, in this case, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. He's learned well from the master.