After an extensive tour around Europe and the United Kingdom, Woody Allen's heart has returned to where his career first took flight, New York City. How can we forget Woody's last cityscape "Melinda and Melinda", shot entirely in and around Manhattan and The Hamptons? Don't worry, before doing a little sleuthing of my own, I hadn't heard of it either. Wait, you surely have to remember "Curse of the Jade Scorpion". No? How about "Anything Else"? You know, the one starring Christina Ricci and Jason Biggs (that guy from American Pie). Still nothing? OK, well maybe Allen hasn't had the greatest domestic track record, even with the home team advantage on his side, but nevertheless, he's back with "Whatever Works".
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm), becomes Woody's new alter screen ego, taking the shape of Boris Yellnikoff, a tired, cynical hypochondriac whose difficult personal experiences have turned him against humanity. When he's abruptly confronted by Melodie St. Anne Celestine (Evan Rachel Wood, The Wrestler) a runaway southern Belle straight from the Bayous of Ethel, Mississippi ("Don't worry", say's Boris, "I'm sure the people that live there haven't heard of it either") he is coerced into sheltering her for the night in his neglected downtown apartment. Before long, nights bridge into months and Melodie develops a crush on Boris which soon turns into an unconventional marriage that is anything but Kosher. Tables turn when Melodie's deeply religious mother Marietta (Patricia Clarkson, The Green Mile) comes knocking at the door, determined to break up the marriage while stumbling upon her new self in the process.
Allen has always relied on sharp, witty, humorous dialogue as the cog in his cinematic wheel. "Whatever Works" plays the same cards to some extent, often times to its advantage, other times not. Many of the "one liners" cleverly placed to yield big laughs wind up feeling forced, contrived and ultimately dated. Some of this may be in part to the fact that the script was resurrected from the 1970's as a story that Woody had always wanted to put to screen, but for some reason or other, couldn't manage to. With supposedly little to no editing, you can't help but feel like some of this stuff has already been done before (Et. al. talking to the audience members in Jude Law "Alfie" fashion), and better. Nevertheless, I found myself laughing at some truly funny material that can only be achieved in Allen's uniquely refreshing blend of comedy.
Larry David is the quintessential Allen counterpart (possibly a distant brother?), and makes for the directors best form of self indulgence to date. David manages to capture the autobiographical role down to every slight gesture, mannerism and tick. Evan Rachel Wood is as charming and beautiful as ever, proving once more that her unbelievable talent can cut it in the footsteps of Scarlett Johansson (Match Point, Vicky Christina Barcelona) who Allen has taken a liking to casting in over three of his most recent films. She manages to capture the role with a subtle finesse and a certain degree of sexiness that soaks into your skin slowly and sweetly as if it were the world's smoothest moisturizer.
"Whatever Works" isn't a film that you're going to like right off the bat, but come the half way point will most likely grow on you. It has its awkwardly stale blunders, but somehow manages to engage you enough, mostly through Allen's seasoned directorial ingenuity, to leave the theater satisfied. Although my least favorite of Woody Allen films to date, its message may be one of the leanest and altogether satisfying. In a world of failed relationships, there's no "clear cut" romantic formula. As much as one prays to the relationship gods in an attempt to align the cosmos to lead you to that one ideal person for you, sometimes you just have to toss it all up to chance and go along with whatever works.
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm), becomes Woody's new alter screen ego, taking the shape of Boris Yellnikoff, a tired, cynical hypochondriac whose difficult personal experiences have turned him against humanity. When he's abruptly confronted by Melodie St. Anne Celestine (Evan Rachel Wood, The Wrestler) a runaway southern Belle straight from the Bayous of Ethel, Mississippi ("Don't worry", say's Boris, "I'm sure the people that live there haven't heard of it either") he is coerced into sheltering her for the night in his neglected downtown apartment. Before long, nights bridge into months and Melodie develops a crush on Boris which soon turns into an unconventional marriage that is anything but Kosher. Tables turn when Melodie's deeply religious mother Marietta (Patricia Clarkson, The Green Mile) comes knocking at the door, determined to break up the marriage while stumbling upon her new self in the process.
Allen has always relied on sharp, witty, humorous dialogue as the cog in his cinematic wheel. "Whatever Works" plays the same cards to some extent, often times to its advantage, other times not. Many of the "one liners" cleverly placed to yield big laughs wind up feeling forced, contrived and ultimately dated. Some of this may be in part to the fact that the script was resurrected from the 1970's as a story that Woody had always wanted to put to screen, but for some reason or other, couldn't manage to. With supposedly little to no editing, you can't help but feel like some of this stuff has already been done before (Et. al. talking to the audience members in Jude Law "Alfie" fashion), and better. Nevertheless, I found myself laughing at some truly funny material that can only be achieved in Allen's uniquely refreshing blend of comedy.
Larry David is the quintessential Allen counterpart (possibly a distant brother?), and makes for the directors best form of self indulgence to date. David manages to capture the autobiographical role down to every slight gesture, mannerism and tick. Evan Rachel Wood is as charming and beautiful as ever, proving once more that her unbelievable talent can cut it in the footsteps of Scarlett Johansson (Match Point, Vicky Christina Barcelona) who Allen has taken a liking to casting in over three of his most recent films. She manages to capture the role with a subtle finesse and a certain degree of sexiness that soaks into your skin slowly and sweetly as if it were the world's smoothest moisturizer.
"Whatever Works" isn't a film that you're going to like right off the bat, but come the half way point will most likely grow on you. It has its awkwardly stale blunders, but somehow manages to engage you enough, mostly through Allen's seasoned directorial ingenuity, to leave the theater satisfied. Although my least favorite of Woody Allen films to date, its message may be one of the leanest and altogether satisfying. In a world of failed relationships, there's no "clear cut" romantic formula. As much as one prays to the relationship gods in an attempt to align the cosmos to lead you to that one ideal person for you, sometimes you just have to toss it all up to chance and go along with whatever works.