Such a Charmer!

I have to say I went to see Whatever Works thinking Woody Allen’s latest was going to be a disappointment.

The word of mouth hadn’t been great, you know, and since he hit it out of the park with his fifth Europe-set film in a row, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, last year, I’ll admit I was expecting Whatever Works not to…work. For me.

The thing is it totally did. I thought it was really quite funny and rather…smart.

Starring Larry David (HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm) as Boris Yellnikoff, a – what else? – a world-class grouch and “almost” Nobel Prize winner, Allen’s movie’s peppered with quotable material (Boris thinks today’s youth are “submental cretins” and that non-intellectuals are “mindless zombies” – and tells them so to their face!). It’s also a rather accomplished commentary on pretension, I think, and it features Henry Cavill, which means it’s also a handsome movie.

Mmm…I just realized Boris probably would call that comment “subnormal.” Anyway….

After the failure of his career in quantum mechanics, his marriage, and his (first) suicide attempt, which has left him with a limp, self-described “not likeable guy” Boris traded his uptown life for the stimuli of downtown Manhattan, where he spends his days insulting the children unfortunate enough to study chess with him, and irritating his still-loyal friends with his never-ending tirades about the worthlessness of absolutely everything.

Oh, he also likes to break the fourth wall and address us, the movie’s audience, to bitch and moan about this and that while his friends look on amused but thinking he’s lost his mind. That’s because he fancies himself the only one who can see the big picture.

His life begins to change a little when he meets Melody St. Ann Celestine (a beguiling Evan Rachel Wood), a runaway Southern Belle just off the bus. Melody opens Boris up to possibilities he’s been too stubborn to consider anymore, and soon charms him into marriage.

Whatever Works is at its finest when it gives us scenes with the enchanting Patricia Clarkson, who plays Melody’s God-fearing mom. She’s a hoot and a half to watch, especially as we witness her transformation into a Big Apple artiste.

If Boris teaches Melody anything, is he teaches us anything, it’s this: In this life, you gotta find whatever works and go for it because it’s usually what tends to surprise us the most and bring us the most joy.

Going to the movies is it for me – it works, and it brings me lots of joy. Especially when someone like Cavill appears out of nowhere (and nope, I’m not telling you about his role).

My Rating ***

Photo: Sony Pictures Classics.