Whatever Works

WHATEVER WORKS (2009) - Dec. 14, 2009
A really enjoyable comedy by Woody Allen about a grumpy old coot (a self-proclaimed genius) who befriends (and later marries) a young, small-town girl.  Easily Allen's funniest film in ages, this actually felt a lot like the films of his heyday, though not quite on that level in terms of quality.  It was definitely right up there with his better films of late, and a definite reminder that the Woodster can still knock 'em out of the park when he feels like it.  The film was at its strongest for the first hour or so, and runs out of steam ever-so-slightly by the end, but it was still quite enjoyable throughout and featured a surprisingly strong lead performance from Larry David.  ***1/2