Comments on: Review: ‘Whatever Works’

By: Joseph

Joseph — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:54:28 +0000

For me this movie was all about making fun of caricature and stereotypes. The liberal godless one comes off as the worst one of them all. And who couldn't see the plot unfolding. I think Allen's message was this: a different form of live and let live. David sees when Melodie starts to adopt his pessimistic view on life, that she needed to move on. Notice how he didn't sing after washing his hands once Melodie left him. For all his supposed genius David could notice that 1) Melodie wasn't right for him, 2) love is fleeting and 3) people don't flush toilets. What did Melodie notice? That maybe people weren't evil they were just scared.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:31:23 +0000

Whatever Works, which is supposed to be the lead character’s mantra. Although the title is perhaps more appropriate as Allen’s methodology concerning filmmaking than as a life philosophy. Read my review at http://cfilmc.wordpress.com/

By: pandax

pandax — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:28:28 +0000

Gee MovieBob likes a film about an elistist that is much smarter then the rubes around him. Go figure.

By: Claudette

Claudette — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:58:01 +0000

Touche dragonash! Oh the one exception: Brokeback Mountain: where the only non-city relationships that are complex and searing happen between gay people. And let's not forget: Allen's such an enlightened non-racist, proven by his casting of a very dark skinned black woman to play the prostitute in "Deconstructing Harry." I believe in the text he praised her Lewinsky skills; that and her offering him a free one were her greatest character depths. Really what this movie is is him living out yet another fantasy (and disturbing thread throughout his career) of his ugly, shriveled self getting down and dirty with nubile teenagers. Billy Crystal in "City Slickers:" "Ed, have you noticed that the older you get, the younger your girlfriends get? Soon you'll be dating sperm!" Nasty old fart.

By: EdSki

EdSki — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:07:37 +0000

The last Woody Allen movie that I could even sit through was Radio Days. I long for the days of Sleeper and Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex But Was Afraid To Ask.

By: MovieBob

MovieBob — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:42:21 +0000

SPOILER WARNING

So… based on this, am I gather that you require a movie to TELL YOU that an amoral multiple-murderer is the bad guy? Just asking…

FWIW, I kinda thought that the film tipped it's moral "hand" when it shows the villian in question in the midst of what appeared to be a remorseful dream being 'haunted' by his victims and called-out on his awfulness… only to reveal that it's actually the "thats how he did it!" realization-dream of another wholly-sympathetic character. In other words, this is the movie telling us "see? he's not even capable of feeling BAD about this!" and thus removing any trace of sympathy we might've had for him. But, that's just my interpretation.

By: MovieBob

MovieBob — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:36:01 +0000

(continued)

As to the film's "moral" (though that presupposes that Allen is 100% sincere here, which I somewhat doubt) is it worth asking why – since a MASSIVE amount of American film output since at least "Sunrise" has traded in the ancient cliches of "The City" as a wholly-corrupting force versus small-town/rural purity (even "liberal" films tend to be about 'the folks' versus 'big city corporate guys' or something) – it should be so offensive for ONE film to turn that notion on it's head?

By: MovieBob

MovieBob — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:35:50 +0000

Saw this yesterday. First time I've laughed out loud throughout a (contemporary) Woody Allen movie. Which isn't to say it's some kind of game-changing masterpiece – like MOST of Woody's work, it's basically a sitcom with more sophisticated references, not necessarily a sophisticated narrative. Take almost ANY Woody comedy and swap out the name-dropping references to golden age movies, pre-1970s social philosophers and the New York art scene with 80s pop-cultural ephemera and you've got an episode of "Family Guy." Also, while well-executed and played, the "twist" with Begley Jr. is a worn cliche you can see coming a mile away (incidentally… is there any kind of general opinion her as to "In & Out," one of the great underrated comedies of the 90s?)

(continued)

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:25:20 +0000

"Match Point" is one of the most morally bankrupt films I have ever seen. What made it truly horrifying was the brilliance of its parts; the direction, the script, the acting, all of that was top-notch. And yet, not a single character displayed any kind of moral code except what they could get away with. I did not care about any of these characters in any way.

What struck me about the film was that there was no moral structure imposed on it by its creators. I believe they did this deliberately, so that the viewer could decide whether they agreed with the characters' actions or not. No judgments were made on any of those actions within the film. Frankly, this disgusted me. I saw how Hollywood refuses to make moral judgments in even the most heinous of situations. I cannot imagine the emptiness of the souls involved in such a failure of humanity.

By: Mike Kriskey

Mike Kriskey — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:20:45 +0000

Tobias Funke: "Are you calling me a coward?"
Warden: "I've only called one man coward—Brian Doyle Murray. No. What I'm calling you is a television actor."

(Arrested Development)