Whatever Works - Love Yourself Who Can - DVD

Film: Woody Allen is back in New York! Having spent the last few years filming his way around Europe, creating such diverse films as "Match Point" and "Vicky Christina Barcelona", the urban neurotic returns to his roots. With "Whatever Works", Allen has made a comedy that has become not only a wonderfully funny declaration of love for New York, but also one of the most unusual romances in recent memory.

There's really nothing that failed physics professor Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David) can't gripe about. The stupidity of his peers, evident in nearly every aspect of daily life, is simply unbearable for chronic pessimist and hypochondriac Boris. The fact that the naïve runaway Melody (Evan Rachel Wood) takes up residence with him, of all people, really upsets his life. But then something happens that Boris of all people would have least expected: a relationship develops between the old grouch and the young woman, which even ends in an unequal, but somehow fulfilling marriage. But when Melody's parents (Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jr.) appear on the scene, it's over with the cosy togetherness.

"Whatever Works" is a collection of eccentric characters, absurd comedy and great dialogue (at least in the original English version). Moreover, with Brois Yellnikoff, a genuinely typical Woody Allen character is finally allowed to dominate the action once again. It is all the more astonishing that this character is not played by Allen himself, but by Larry David, who is almost completely unknown in this country. David, co-creator of the brilliant sitcom "Seinfeld" and star of his own comedy series "Curb your Enthusiasm" (seen in Germany on FOX as "Lass it, Larry"), however, quickly proves to be a perfect Allen stand-in. When he opts out of a conversation with his friends at the very beginning of the film, preferring to address the audience directly and give them his misanthropic take on things, there's not a dry eye in the house. Yellnikoff's bitter candor, which speaks from the soul many a time, and the way Larry David conveys this to the screen is what makes this film so successful.

But even the unequal relationship between Boris and Melody only works because of the fine actors. Easily, the marriage between the older gentleman and the blood young beauty from Mississippi could have seemed awkward and completely out of place. However, thanks to the wonderful verbal exchanges Boris and Melody have and the coherent chemistry between Larry David and the enchanting Evan Rachel Wood, this whimsical romance works in the best way.

But that's not all: supporting characters like Melody's God-fearing mother Marietta, who learns to love a very different kind of life in New York, and her father John, who meets his true love in a wonderful bar scene, are what make "Whatever Works" so successful. Certainly, it's been refreshing to see Woody Allen venture into new territory in recent years. And so his latest work may also be a step backwards in some ways. But when such a step backwards turns out to be so entertaining, intelligently funny and wonderfully acted, you really can't complain about it. "Whatever Works", Woody Allen's 40th directorial effort, is a film about love, coincidences and everything that makes our lives so worth living - including all the things you can get angry about on a daily basis. And therefore the film, alone because of Boris` rants, is absolutely worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: Here technology aesthetes should not expect too much. The decently mixed sound is only in 2.0 stereo sound and plays primarily in the front area of the home theater system. The picture is clean and has decent overall sharpness, but could stand to improve a bit in quality in almost every respect. Good, but not mind-blowing.

Extras: The fact that Woody Allen is not a fan of bonus material is again apparent on this DVD. Only a short interview with Allen, there is unfortunately nothing more to discover here. Weak.

Conclusion: "Whatever Works" is an amusing film about the adversities of life and love, which can score with a lot of dialogue wit and a good cast. The DVD is technically on a decent level, but disappoints completely with the extras. For Woody Allen fans, however, the DVD is still absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp