Falling Debris

This was on the Trailer Park a while back and I only recently got to see it. Two comedic geniuses collaborate to bring one of the year's most theatrical cinematic comedies, Whatever Works.

Whatever Works is brought to us by New York film staple Woody Allen, known for art house romantic comedies like Annie Hall and Manhattan, and stars Larry David of Curb Your Enthusiasm fame.

The film is the first person narrative of Boris Yelnikoff, a seemingly unemployed urban philosopher who teaches kids chess in his free time. Boris has had an underwhelming life and it's left him with a nihilistic outlook on life. His misanthropic attitude leaves him unenthused with his friends and lovers, so much so that he seeks intellectual camaraderie with the audience, breaking the fourth wall in the process. Perhaps it's just the nature of this Woody Allen "theater piece", or perhaps the ability to see us is because of his attempted suicide.

Boris is accidentally visited by a wayward young girl who left her home and family in the South to follow her dreams of living in the big city. While he finds the prospect of having company absolutely preposterous, he can't help but find some compassion and bring her in. As she settles in and begins looking for honest work, Boris begins to admit that he has an irrational, emotional attachment to her. They begin a relationship, but that's soon disrupted by typical Allen love triangles and unexpected character developments.

It's refreshing to see a Woody Allen film that doesn't involve him at all, but it's clear that Boris is yet another interpretation of himself. The April-May relationships and awkward love triangles are a beautiful thing of ShShakespeare, but Allen makes them an awkward thing that may make it difficult for general audiences who expect romantic comedies à la the Hughs Grant and Jackman. Don't let the geriatric protagonist fool you, it's for all audience ages, but this is mainly going to score with Woody Allen and Larry David fans.