Whatever Works (2009)

director: Woody Allen

writer: Woody Allen

starring: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood

genre: Comedy

Woody Allen is back to his beloved New York once again. In a way I wished he didn’t. I was enjoying his films in London and then in Spain. And wished that his Paris film could have been made, but sometimes that’s asking for too much. His dramas and his stories abroad showed a different side to this great filmmaker that made me admire his work even more and his versatility. Back to New York now, he goes back to the same kind of story we were used of him. One guy, his story, meanings and that guys problems and insecurities. All Woody Allen characters have that. Even so with same kind of characteristics he still manages to pull off a funny, smart, entertaining and in a way the most positive film of the year.

The plot involves Boris (Larry David) who throughout the film breaks the fourth wall to give us his insights about life and his crazy story. His story is of him blabbering all the time, how life is terrible without meaning and that everyone is crazy. He meets this young girl Melodie (Rachel Evan Wood) that changes in a way his outlook and from there the story goes. All lot of things happen that you could call convenient and too perfect but that’s not what the film is about. It’s about how some choices are made in life by some of us, as crazy those choices may be and that in the end they should make us happy.

It’s really in a way Woody Allen’s hate film. Everything he is disgusted and tired with society he deals with in this film threw Boris. And I agree completely with his opinions. Lot of great observations and opinions which is what you always get with a Woody Allen film, that many will be divided about. A world with characters that have greater hopes and ideals or too pessimistic and see all the faults of life and still get a kick out of it. From the get go he calls us the viewer, morons, failures and in a way aren’t we all. You just do what you can with your mistakes and with the hopeless and unsatisfying life that we have.

Larry David was in a way a ingenious choice for the role. His dislikable acting from Curb your Enthusiasm and his great delivery of Woody Allen dialogue in a way only Woody Allen could deliver are perfect for the film. You stay with him throughout the film and want to continue on hearing him insult people or pleasure us with philosophical arguments.

Many people love Woody Allen to death. Others hate him for his personal life decisions. I believe he is one of the best filmmakers still out there and for our luck still manages to make movies. His last films have been a step up since his slump of the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Whatever Works is back to the usually gimmick with a different message at the end which I enjoyed well enough. Allen’s humor is not for everybody so recommend only to those familiar with his work and don’t expect another Match Point. That doesn’t happen every day.

Personal Rating:

Review by Paul