Woody Allen’s offshore period is over, says our L.A. writer Bart Mills. No more loving shots of Scarlett Johansson in Spain or England. Drama is out and comedy is back in Allen’s roll-over-and-beat-the-ground-with-your-fists funny Whatever Works opening tomorrow (for a sneak peek, check out the trailer below). Back home in New York — Manhattan, of course — Allen creates a lovable blowhard played by Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm creator Larry David, 61. Between rants about the meaninglessness of existence, this self-described genius takes a runaway Mississippi bimbo (Evan Rachel Wood) under his wing. She’s a quarter his age, which is no doubt a nod to the 73-year-old Allen’s own romantic situation. Comical complications involving multiple bed-switches ensue. Some say Allen’s humor has been supplanted by recent comedy trends toward gross-out jokes and situations, but how can you say that when you’re laughing so hard at this new vintage Woody Allen movie?
Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
