Whatever Works (2009)

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Larry David plays a Woody Allen-type character in a Woody Allen film that was meant to be made in 1970's. David's character Boris is a detestable misanthrope. His judgmental, condescending nature is so vile it begins to grow on you. I thought this was bound to be a great film. Then we are introduced to his southern girlfriend and her family and we begin to enter very stale territory. They are all stereotypes that too blatant for even Woody Allen, a man who doesn't shy away from mocking other i cultures, notably his own. The creative energy skids to a stop. Moreover, I thought that the film clearly has a cynical metropolitan bias in which the southern family is considered redeemed only when they convert to Boris's way of life. If that was meant to be endearing, I must have missed it. Little sparks of genius, as with every Woody Allen movie, but Whatever Works is undoubtably his weakest comedy.

I always enjoy black comedies because they have flairs to tell the realities of our lives. This one practically delivered just that.I am a fan of Larry Davids since I fond out he very much likes the roles he played on screen. Of course, brilliant scripts had a lot to do with it. In my view, actors could play various roles would be talent because they have to study others than themselves in order to have convincing performances. But people like Larry they are natural performers in their own rights. We might easily suppose that should be effortless since they understand themselves well and play characters like themselves mostly. Actually, it might be the hardest thing to do. Self awareness is often vulnerable and most actors might feel uncomfortable to expose themselves in front of audiences. It's hilarious and even cruel sometimes in this movie. But the cynic and grumpiness suited Larry 's nature well. Rarely audiences want movies to deliver riveting messages. Our lives are full of consistent ridicules. Laughing at them might be a better way to deal with. Whatever works.

Woody Allen returns to the comic style he patented in the 1970s and it doesn't really work anymore. This feels like a cheaper, lazier version of his excellent excellent "Manhattan". Allen's wiser and angrier, but not funnier in his old age. His writing is off here: repetitive and juvenile. There are a few funny jokes and smart lines, but Allen hasn't evolved like you may have hoped he would have in 30 years. He still lusts after young girls, he still hates his life and he still thinks he's smarter than everyone. Now its more annoying than endearing, but at least he's still in on how obnoxious he is. Casting Larry David to play his lead character adds some warmth and comic timing that is sorely needed, but its not enough to make this work. But look out for a decent performance from the soon-to-be "Superman" Henry Cavill. Allen still can spot talent and he can make tiny, cheap movies in NYC better than most anyone. This is a footnote to his career though.

Larry David plays a self-described 'unlikable genius,' a pessimistic former-professor of physics at Columbia who hates most everyone and sees life as a futile existence; one night, he allows a 21-year-old runaway from Mississippi to sleep on his couch, which changes not just his life but the lives of everyone around him. Lightweight happily-ever-after tale from writer-director Woody Allen begins on too-brash a note, but soon becomes a funny, daffy urban valentine peopled with talent-loving eccentrics and die-hard romantics. Central couple Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood are fine but get completely upstaged once Wood's mother, played by Patricia Clarkson, enters the scene (she's wonderful). An entertaining little comedy about relationships; nothing really memorable, but light on its feet and with several amusing one-liners. **1/2 from ****