Whatever Works

After filming the majority of his most recent films in Europe, Woody Allen has finally returned to New York City with the delightfully funny Whatever Works. The movie stars Larry David, a neurotic Jew who fits in perfectly to Allen’s universe. David’s role was originally written back in the 1970’s for Zero Mostel. Aside from a few lines in the film that reference current events it’s clear from the opening that the bulk of this film was written during Allen’s heyday back in the 1970’s. Whatever Works has the look, feel and hilarious one-liners of a classic Allen film. The look, of course, is a hermetically sealed version of New York City that really only exists in the mind of Allen.

The movie centers around the misanthropic Boris Yelnikoff a brilliant, former physics professor at Columbia University who has become somewhat of a hermit after a failed marriage, and a failed suicide attempt (he landed on the canopy). Change comes for Boris in the form of a young runaway southern belle named Melodie St. Ann Celestine, who literally shows up as his doorstep one night. Boris reluctantly lets her stay.

By some stretch of the imagination Melodie winds-up being charmed by Boris’ pessimism and they are quickly married. Although David is slightly younger than Allen it’s still slightly disturbing to think of him having a relationship with such a young girl, even though the film acknowledges its abnormality. The idea of love being where you’re least likely to find it seems to be a prominent theme in this film, and though this relationship sounds ridiculous on paper Boris assures us “life isn’t on paper.” Whatever Works succeeds, as many Allen films do, as a study of relationships. This film is preoccupied with the idea of the randomness and “meaningless blind chance” involved in the relationships we form.

The performances might have been one-dimensional if performed by lesser actors. The characters of Melodie and her Mother Marietta are stereotypically southern. However, Evan Rachel Wood and Patricia Clarkson breathe life into these roles which could easily have wound-up as caricatures. David’s portrayal of Boris is a lot like his character on his show Curb Your Enthusiasm only exaggerated. Boris is rude, pessimistic, neurotic and hilarious. In short, everything you could ask for in an Allen character. Though it’s easy to imagine Allen himself in David’s place, David definitely brings his own angry voice to the character.

Even though the film is enjoyable there are some elements which prevent it from joining the ranks of the greatest Allen films. Whatever Works feels rushed and the characters are not nearly as identifiable or lovable as characters in his best films. Overall, this will be regarded as one of Allen’s lighter efforts but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Though the movie doesn’t quite succeed as well as some of his best work of that era such as Stardust Memories or Manhattan it’s still a charmingly hilarious film. It may not be a grand slam, but it’s a really well executed bunt.