It's been so long since Peter Bogdanovich made a memorable movie, you'd be forgiven for thinking he had passed on. Or moved to Miami Beach. Earlier this month, his demise was even reported on Facebook which was a nasty hoax as the Jewish director who made the unforgettable The Last Picture Show is very much alive. But after writing and directing Mask in 1985, for which he was nominated for a Palme d'Or and Cher got an Oscar, he sort of lost his motion-picture mojo. He has written books about other directors and acted quite a bit, but that was it - until now - and with She's Funny That Way we are treated to a dizzy, screwball comedy that echoes the hilarity of What's Up Doc?, which Bogdanovich made in 1972.

It's a bedroom farce of sorts that is built around Izzy, a fizzy Brooklyn call girl played remarkably well by Brit Imogen Poots who has perfected the whiny accent. Into her life comes theatre director Arnold (Owen Wilson) who after wining, dining and sleeping with her offers her $30,000 to give up being on the game and pursue her acting dream. Arnold is the prostitute's philanthropist, but he never banked on Izzy turning up to audition for the role of a hooker in the New York play starring his wife (Kathryn Hahn). The play is written by Josh (Will Forte) who is married to a resentful and angry therapist (Jennifer Aniston) who just happens to be treating Izzy's most obsessed client (Austin Pendleton) who has hired the world's worst private-eye (George Morfogen) to follow her - Just wait until you see him wearing peyot in disguise. Channelling early Woody Allen and Golden Hollywood Capra, Bogdanovich has made a good-time movie that proves he is very much alive and kicking.