Woody Allen’s Whatever Works is a comedy about love, chance, and the strange ways people find each other. It stars Larry David as Boris Yellnikoff, a bitter chess teacher and former Columbia professor, and Evan Rachel Wood as Melody St. Ann Celestine, a runaway from Mississippi who shows up on his doorstep. The film follows their unlikely marriage and the chaos that ensues when Melody’s parents, Marietta and John, come to New York to rescue her.
Trailer, via Woody Allen.
Boris and Melody
Boris is a crotchety misanthrope who despises most people. He spends his days teaching chess and patronizing anyone who doesn’t measure up intellectually. When Melody arrives, he reluctantly takes her in. She’s a simpleminded young woman who has run away from her fundamentalist family. Despite their age difference and vastly different backgrounds, she develops a crush on him, and he eventually falls in love too. They marry.
Marietta’s Plan
A year later, Melody’s mother finds her. Marietta and John believed Melody had been kidnapped. John left her after losing money in the stock market and selling their house. Marietta is disappointed with Boris and tries to convince Melody to leave him. During a lunch, they meet Boris’s friend Leo, and a young man named Randy James inquires about Melody. Marietta slyly decides to recruit Randy, who has fallen in love with Melody at first sight, to end the marriage.
Leo and Marietta
Leo takes an interest in Marietta. They spend an evening together, and she reveals she is a talented photographer. Boris explains to the audience that over the next few weeks, Marietta changes. She starts experimenting with artistic photography, exotic new habits, and an open relationship with Leo and his business partner, Morgenstern. She still hates Boris and keeps pushing Melody toward Randy.
The Cast Around Them
The supporting cast includes:
- Patricia Clarkson as Marietta
- Ed Begley Jr. as John
- Michael McKean as Boris’s friend Joe
- Conleth Hill as Leo
- Carolyn McCormick as Jessica
- Henry Cavill as Randy James
- John Gallagher Jr. as Perry
- Christopher Evan Welch as Howard
- Adam Brooks as Boris’s friend #1
- Lyle Kanouse as Boris’s friend #2
What Works
The film has a strong premise. A mismatched couple from entirely different worlds falling in love is fertile ground for comedy. Larry David brings genuine weariness to Boris, and Evan Rachel Wood sells Melody’s innocence without making her a caricature. The supporting cast, particularly Patricia Clarkson and Henry Cavill, add texture to the story.
What Doesn’t Work
The problem is the execution. Allen’s script relies heavily on coincidence and contrivance to drive the plot forward. Characters act in ways that feel convenient rather than natural. The film also leans on broad physical comedy and sitcom-style jokes that don’t always land.
The film runs 92 minutes and was released on June 19, 2009. It received mixed critical reviews and grossed $35 million.
Our Call
Whatever Works is a minor entry in Allen’s catalog. It has flashes of wit and a solid cast, but the story loses focus in its middle stretch. The film is best remembered for its premise rather than its execution. It’s a pleasant enough watch, but it doesn’t justify repeated viewings.
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