1. Whatever Works (2009)
Many people have played the Woody Allen role in his films; John Cusack, Kenneth Branagh, Jason Biggs and Will Ferrell have all taken on the legendary stammer and anxiety but the most perfectly cast of all is Larry David. A comedian after Allens own heart whose work on 'Seinfeld and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' was soaked in the hallmarks of the Woody Allen style. Research scientist Boris (David) has had little going for him since he was once considered for a Nobel prize. He teaches chess to children in the park, partly to feel superior and partly to have someone other than his beleaguered friends to rant at. He believes he is in a film and talks to the audience as such, not that he likes them very much either. One night Boris finds Melodie (Evan Rachel Wood) on his doorstep. He allows her to stay with him until she finds a job and in that time she begins to develop a crush despite their differences. The older man falling in with an attractive younger woman bit has become a trope of Allen's films that receives heavy criticism as he gets older and the age gap widens. This is a fair point and as time moves on it has gained a level of creepiness. This film and Mighty Aphrodite prove this point but it is important to remember that Manhattan took the exact same angle and is a beloved classic. It may be a little uncomfortable to see Larry David in that situation but it is not reason enough to dismiss the film out of hand. Most of the noughites Allen output deals with the clashing of old and new attitudes and 'Whatever Works' continues that theme. You can tell that Woody has returned to New York from his Europe revitalised and it comes across on the screen. With yet another strong supporting cast (this time Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jr.) Whatever Works is witty, funny and full of cynical joy. It ticks every box and rounds out a varied, creative and ambitious decade for Woody.
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