Whatever Works

Richmond Hill

Not the sum of its tantalising parts: a curmudgeonly central character, a locale with a long history, the expected bittersweet story. Instead a passable diversion that skirts over the promise and delivers a second tier time filler.

PolarisDiB

Larry David ramps up Allen to 10 for bitterness while Evan Rachel Wood ramps up Allen to 10 for ditzy youthness, and then the two fly a smooth edge right under the stereotype radar until Melody's parents show up and the South gets a good a-liberalizing. Ultimately it pays off when you observe how all the characters and scenarios come together, but this is the type of funny where you get the joke but don't laugh.-DiB

Christopher R. Smith

A modest effort from Woody Allen. Larry David is fun in the lead, he leads a strong cast through pleasant, if predictable and familiar, neurotic humor and plot contrivances. Woody Allen fans will find it watchable, but this is far from his best work.

Tyler Aikens

Funny as it can be, Woody is trying to say a lot with this film but it's all heavy handed and self-obsessive banter. Not his worst, but not very good either. Other than Larry David and, as always, Patricia Clarkson, the cast ain't great, and seriously folks, whatever the hell did Evan Rachael Wood do to garner all this notoriety? A bad Green Day video? That sappy, pre-teen porn "16"?

Daniel S.

Highly recommended. It would be interesting to count how many mediums or/and magicians appear in the Allen movies. 90 minutes of sheer pleasure.

RENO NISMARA.

while not better than older woody allen new york films, whatever works is a lot wittier and funnier than today's silly goofball comedies.

Garçon Manqué

the dialogues are really engrossing.and larry david was like the reincarnation of woody allen in that role.(that was kinda awkward,i gotta admit.)

Federico Di Folco

Quando Woody scrive così il risultato è sempre folgorante;Boris è una forza della natura,lo ami dopo due minuti e quando maltratta i bambini vorresti baciarlo;la ragazza è fantastica,i personaggi di contorno sono perfetti e lo sviluppo narrativo non conosce mai un intoppo. Niente da dire,solo da vedere,ammirare ed applaudire all ennesimo gran lavoro di un autore unico.