Whatever Works

Another one from Woody Allen, good but certainly not one of his best.

In Whatever Works we follow the story of a middle age man called Boris Yellnikoff. A grumpy and sometimes annoying guy that entitles himself as a genius. Some of his ideas about the world are definitely different from other people and he is basically against everything and everybody. One day fate put Melody Saint Anne Celestine, a girl from Mississipi into his life. She is doesn't have any kind of cultural intelect and is the absolute opposite of Boris, so she is the kind of people Boris can't stand, well but he always thinks he is the only bright human being on planet. Her sweetness ultimately enchants him and they start a very peculiar relationship.

Larry Davis is hilarious as Boris Yellnikoff, his performance is the best thing of the film. Her monologues are amazing and he will make you laugh often with his grumpy style. Evan Rachel Wood is adorable as Melody and I also would like to mention Patricia Clarkson, always lovely to see her act.

This is above all a lovely little film about the search for happiness. As I already said, not one of Woody's greatest but definitely worth to watch.

“Can you believe this cracker? This red state Neanderthal? This mindless zombie of the National Rifle Association?”

I came here for Larry David and stayed for Larry David. He’s definitely funny but this story has some questionable writing (fuck you Woody Allen I’m a pirate) Boris is basically a fourth-wall-breaking Larry David and I love it. The most LD thing in this film is probably failing his own suicide twice in the same way.

I was enjoying the story quite a bit until Melody cheats on Boris. Then she just decides to break up with him when it best suits her. “I met someone else.” No bitch. Your mom met someone else months ago and has been secretly having him run into you. Then she decides to take it up a level and cheat on Boris. She never tells him any of this, not even when the guilt sinks in on the stairs. So I don’t get the point of her character. The whole purpose of her leaving her parents was that she wasn’t under her mom’s control anymore. But I guess she will be till the very end? Idk she deserves the worst.

“I’m surrounded by microbes!”

Level "Zurullo" • 4 ❤ • Not recommended.

This had been one of the last of Woody's movies that I had not seen and if I am being truthful I can't pretend that I saw the whole thing because I didn't. But what I did see.... wow. In some ways this might be his worst movie. At least with the abominations that are Rifkin's Festival and Rainy Day in New York I felt like he was trying for something. They both sucked unbelievably bad but at least there was an attempt to make a movie. I think I would have had more respect for Allen if he stepped into the lead role and forced himself to recite the drudgery that he forced on Larry David. Complaints about society had always been a charming part of Allen's movies when we got them in small doses (and when they were legit). To build a whole movie around a miserable person... well, it gets you this movie.

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