Whatever Works
2009 Directed by Woody Allen
Synopsis
A new comedy
Whatever Works explores the relationship between a crotchety misanthrope, Boris and a naïve, impressionable young runaway from the south, Melody. When Melody's uptight parents arrive in New York to rescue her, they are quickly drawn into wildly unexpected romantic entanglements. Everyone discovers that finding love is just a combination of lucky chance and appreciating the value of "whatever works."
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As I am a big fan of Larry David and especially Curb, it is no surprise that I enjoyed 'Whatever Works' as it's basically a feature-length Curb episode.
While it isn't autobiographical, Larry David still essentially plays himself, offering his unique and cynical world view, which should be reason enough to watch this film.
Overall it was pretty, pretty good.
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Allen's greatest late-era crime is probably his willingness to let his supporting characters wobble around as flimsy cardboard cutouts. Everybody hated Rachel McAdams in MIDNIGHT IN PARIS for her cartoonish family. The same could be said for the parents of Evan Rachel Wood, who like the wife's family in PARIS are neo-conservative types that Woody wants to mock, but does so with the finesse of a teenage Reddit user. Woody sees the world through his eyes to such a degree that attempting any other perspective is almost impossible to him, so lately, he hasn't even been trying. That shallowness (or laziness) is also felt in Larry David's character, Boris, and is the fatal flaw of the film. Many scenes are…
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More reasons to love Larry David...
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pretty pretty good
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MY GREAT DIRECTORS: PART 9: WOODY ALLEN PART 1
Dude, its a film set in New York, written and directed by Woody Allen starring Larry David, delivering the dialog written by Woody Allen, while playing a Woody Allen type character.
Winning.
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One day, while flicking through a copy of Just 17, Woody Allen saw a picture of Evan Rachel Wood and thought, "I'd totally tap that! But I'm married. And rather old. I know! I'll make a movie about an old guy tapping that! And I'll cast her so I can live vicariously through Larry David, who will look totally embarrassed by the whole experience! People still think I'm a genius and will appear in my movies for pennies, so she'll deffo say yes. I'll bet Scarlett will be annoyed that I didn't cast her again, but I'm kinda bored with her now. This Evan chick is way hotter!"
Seriously, what more do you need to know? The man needs to just stop making movies already. Indefensibly stupid, culturally insensitive, poorly shot, poorly acted, poorly written, utterly pointless drivel. And yet still ten times better than Cassandra's Dream. Avoid as if it were radioactive scat.
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It has some moments of brilliance, but, Woody, you know you can do better than this.
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loved it
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pretty pretty good
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2 de keer nog beter
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A small but very entertaining movie
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excellent, funny, real.
Enjoyed this immensely.
larry david struggle with and against the random chance factor of human relationships and human idiocy.
Come watch it inch worms! -
Allen's greatest late-era crime is probably his willingness to let his supporting characters wobble around as flimsy cardboard cutouts. Everybody hated Rachel McAdams in MIDNIGHT IN PARIS for her cartoonish family. The same could be said for the parents of Evan Rachel Wood, who like the wife's family in PARIS are neo-conservative types that Woody wants to mock, but does so with the finesse of a teenage Reddit user. Woody sees the world through his eyes to such a degree that attempting any other perspective is almost impossible to him, so lately, he hasn't even been trying. That shallowness (or laziness) is also felt in Larry David's character, Boris, and is the fatal flaw of the film. Many scenes are…
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Woody recycling material. This is the kind of Woody Allen movie that says nothing aside from a few average jokes. Although some of the performances are somewhat decent, Whatever Works does not work. Too bad... I expected so much from a collaboration of two of the funniest people alive, Larry David and Woody Allen.
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Larry David is okay but I think he's too aggressive for Woody Allen's words and also the film gets a little boring and feels much longer than its 1hr 30min runtime.