By: halmasonberg

halmasonberg — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:29:34 +0000

I actually thought WHATEVER WORKS would have been quite a fun film if not for Larry David. Don’t get me wrong, I like David in CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. But he’s not an actor. And the reason WHATEVER fails is due to David’s uncomfortable, wooden performance, not Mr. Allen’s script. But it still falls on Allen to have cast and gotten a performance out of David. And he didn’t. That happens sometimes. And when it does, you work with what you have and make it the best it can be. I don’t know if Mr. Allen worked to get a better perf from Mr. David or not. What is clear is that the performance that was needed to make the entire film work is not there. However, thanks to the talents of the rest of the cast and a fun, smart script, the film is still worth the price of admission and still smarter than most of what Hollywood has to offer. But David’s performance (or lack of one) does weigh the film down. From my understanding, David was reluctant to take this role. It might have been best for all involved if he had trusted his initial instincts. Again, I’m not criticizing David for trying, I’m just saying that in the end, he is the rock around the neck of this film. Who put that rock there was probably a group effort. But to say Mr. Allen has “lost it” is to dismiss so many of the films he has given us in the last few years alone. MATCH POINT, SCOOP, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA… I even thought CASSANDRA’S DREAM was terrific, both unusual and unique for Allen. It also contained some extraordinary performances. With a filmmaker this prolific and with so many masterful films under his belt, to dismiss him as having lost his talent is a dangerous and misleading game to play. It’s the kind of thinking that kept filmmakers like David Lean from making even more films than they did. Personally, I will continue to celebrate Mr. Allen’s non-stop flow of creativity and his ability to continue making film after film, more for himself than for any particular audience. An audience known for being fickle. Lest we forget the negative criticisms of films like BROADWAY DANNY ROSE and STARDUST MEMORIES. Films now rediscovered and considered Allen favorites by many. Yes, critics claimed he’d lost it back then, too. But he still continued. And the world of film is a richer place for it.

By: Steven Kaye

Steven Kaye — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:03:22 +0000

Ummm…you’re probably not aware of this, but Woody Allen is somewhat higher up the artistic ladder than Larry David will ever be. He couldn’t care less about good or bad reviews. In fact, he’s about to jet off to London to start work on the first of a 3 film deal financed by the backers of Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Comments on: Whatever Works, Doesn’t

By: halmasonberg

By: Steven Kaye