What works in “Whatever Works”? Not much. Writer and director Woody Allen wrote this script in the 1970s and had wanted Zero Mostel for the lead role, but upon Mostel’s death, Allen shelved the script. Now Allen has dusted off his tome and cast Larry David as his protagonist. Whereas Mostel might have been able to pull of the role of Boris with vulnerability and humor, we get Larry David, bombast, condescension, and a painfully unfunny comedy. And because David is such a wooden actor, we have no sense of Boris as a person (other than he’s egocentric and likes to complain) and I don’t believe that a 20-something young thing would fall in love with him. Even more, I don’t like Boris nor do I care what happens to him. That he should be happy at movie’s end ticks me off.
And although the supporting cast makes the best of the material they have, it’s not their fault that their characters are, essentially, exaggerations of real people. Evan Rachel Wood, who plays Melodie St. Ann Celestine, is so dim that she believes Boris plays for the Yankees. Patricia Clarkson as her mother turns out to have interesting ideas about ménage à trois and her father, Ed Begley, Jr., is a fundamentalist who discovers he’s gay. Perhaps the ideas in this movie were original when Allen wrote the script, but they’re passé now. At the beginning of the movie, Boris states, ‘Right off, I’m not a likable guy.’ Well,….. “Whatever Works” is not a likable movie. 7/5/09
5 comments:
"Whatever Works" is a caustic, raunchy, sardonic, tasteless comedy with some very off color and disrespectful humor. That being said, this movie was hilariously funny and one of Woody Allen's best efforts. I usually agree with the blogger on most of her ratings, but I don't see how she missed the "laugh out loud" comedy in this film. I give this movie a 3 1/2 bagger (popcorn) out of a possible 5.
Sorry, but I rarely find raunchy, tasteless comedy amusing. For me, it wasn't laugh-out-loud. But more, the script was so implausible that "Whatever Works" lost me almost as soon as it started.
Oh Ya! So There!!
I generally agree with the blogger. In this case I found this movie enjoyable, chuckling more than just a few times. I grant you the story is implausible but that's what makes it amusing! There is a story and good character development which is missing in many movies. Larry David does a good job delivering well written lines. 3.5 out of 5 stars in my book.
I guess some of my problem with this movie is Larry David. I'm just not a fan. And the May/December romance isn't believable at all.
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