Works For Me

Larry David is Woody Allen's "Whatever Works" saving grace. Without him, the movie would seem like just another trip down some well worn paths that Allen has explored many times before in the past.

Allen reportedly wrote the script for Zero Mostel back in the 1970's. He's given it a few superficial tweaks, but the story of a grumpy physicist who takes in a teenage runaway from the south, played by Evan Rachel Wood, seems like a little musty to say the least.

David's Boris Yelnikov hates everybody and everything. He's a genius living among a universe of dolts, dunderheads, and dimwits.
and He gets by teaching chess to youngsters. No one is funnier than David at being rude to small children.
The movie encounters a major lull when the runaway's parents track her down and show up at his doorstep. They're bible believing southern hicks who are set free by the bohemian spirit of New York City, and they're easily the least interesting part of the film.

At times it sounds like David has swallowed a theasauris as he spits out mountains and mountains of Allen's dialogue about pain, loss, and free love.
But coming from Larry David the words sound fresh and funny again. And he gives the movie more laughs than it frankly deserves.

"Whatever Works:" B-