Cusack plays a high-brow student named Jack in this stylistic black and white Woody Allen flick. 'Shadows...' is definitely not an example of Allen's best work. Set in the forties and focusing on the players in a traveling circus, the film moves at a slow pace over the span of one long night. There is a killer at large, and Allen's character stumbles and fumbles around, in his characteristic fashion. He's in love with circus performer (Mia Farrow--who'd you think?).

Other cameo's include Madonna (no comment), John Malkovich and Jodie Foster. Cusack is the one that makes the most of his screen time as the intellectual. He flawlessly stalwarts his way through. Other than that, there's really not a lot to say about this movie. It sort of falls flat but the cinematography is pretty.