Whatever Works (2009)

Whatever Works (2009)

Directed by: Woody Allen
Screenplay by: Woody Allen

Genre: Comedy | Romance
Running Time: 92 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Starz On Demand

[IMDb]

Comments: Whatever Works marks my second venture into Woody Allen's universe (the only other film of his I've seen is the amazing Match Point), and while not as good, it's certainly no letdown. Larry David plays basically the same character he plays in Curb Your Enthusiasm, only ratcheted up to the Nth degree. He's a complete asshole, yet most of the time he's funny as hell. Evan Rachel Wood is excellent in the film (so much so that it boggles my mind that she's engaged to Marilyn Manson), and the rest of the supporting cast is top notch. My biggest complaint would be that the film's uneven; at times LD seemed like the character we're supposed to root for and identify with, but later we start to identify much more with Wood's character, and Larry's left in the background. Other than that, the writing is great and I'm surprised with how many times I laughed out loud considering I was watching the film alone ("I don't have anywhere to go and if you throw me out and I wind up an Asian prostitute, that's going to be on your conscience"). Now I need to go look into this Woody Allen box set with Annie Hall and Manhattan.