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List Price: $27.96 | | Label: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Salesrank: 1487
Released: October 27, 2009 |
| Our Price: $13.88 |
| Used Price: $9.04 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
No description available for this title.
Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: PG13
Street Date: 10/27/09
Wide Screen: yes
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
Language: ENGLISH
Foreign Film: noSubtitles: no
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve
Description of Whatever Works:
Woody Allen's cynical sensibility so superbly dovetails with Larry David's acerbic misanthropy, it's a wonder they haven't worked together before. But no matter: fans of Allen, David, and especially David's Curb Your Enthusiasm will delight in the ability of Whatever Works to find humor in the darkest and most abrasive of life's corners.
The crux of this odd love story involves the unlikely friendship between David's character (the brilliant, kvetchy Boris) and the Southern beauty queen with a heart of gold and a brain of wide-open spaces, Melodie (the always-surprising Evan Rachel Wood). Boris takes on Melodie as a tutorial project, showing her the bleak ways of the world, and Melodie takes care of Boris with crayfish and Fred Astaire movies. There are other memorable performances by Patricia Clarkson, as Melodie's deeply religious and tightly wound mama, and Ed Harris, as her husband, a Southerner slightly to the right of George Wallace. The parents come to the big city to reclaim their wayward lamb, and when the Southerners meet the New Yorkers, sparks fly--in ways both good and slightly scary.
The film works because of the unlikely chemistry between the two stars and because of David's unflinchingly dyspeptic portrayal, which--while not exactly cozy to watch--is undeniably brilliant. The two find that their oddball friendship helps each of them find a little more meaning in their lives. "Whatever works"--a simple but profound recipe for happiness. --A.T. Hurley
Whatever Works Reviews:
WOODY'S BACK WITH REALLY SMART, INSIGHTFUL LAUGHS 
2009-12-05 - I've only seen this fine movie four or five times, sharing it with friends, crying 'hey, you gotta see this'. But from this limited viewing I think that WA's trademark brilliant, neurotic humor is back. If you liked the late-earlier Allen films, from Annie Hall to Deconstructing Harry Deconstructing Harry, Annie Hall, you're going love this return to intelligent humor from the master. If you IQ's over room temperature, grab this movie, you'll thank me.
Felt Let Down 
2009-12-03 - I was very disappointed with this movie. I guess because Larry David was in it I expected constant humor and to be laughing during the whole thing. It was just plain awful. Ironically, the previews they showed before the movie came out was the only real funny part in the movie. It was just so bland and I kept waiting for something funny to happen. Well, it didn't. Not good. Why would Larry David do this and as he was doing it, why did he think it was funny? Maybe he had no control though so I will have to blame Woody Allen then. I'm usually a Woody Allen fan, but not for this movie. Sorry. Not very good.
what a miss 
2009-12-03 - I love Larry and Woody but I can barely watch this movie. It rehashes old Woody themes with Larry David just playing Woody. These guys are too talented to put this out.
Both Woody Allen & Larry David fail
2009-11-30 - Why is Larry David playing Woody Allen? Why didn't Woody play himself. Although smartly written, this is very hard to watch. I blame Woody for attempting to have Larry David do this lame impersonation. I cringed the entire movie. It could have been great but ended unbelieveable and total junk. No wonder this crapped out at the theaters.
Classic Woody. Funny and Insightful.
2009-11-30 - I had not heard a lot about this film prior to getting and so was not sure what to expect. I am a Woody Allen fan in general. I loved this film. I thought it was funny, thought provoking and interesting. It hit on his usual obsessions with new humor. Ed Begley Jr was terrific, but Larry David really made it.
