I admit I was skeptical going in to see the movie. I had seen mixed reviews (46% on rotten tomatoes) and I was not enthused by the idea of yet another Woody Allen Spring/Autumn relationship movie.

Interestingly, within a few minutes the movie drew me in. The dialogue is outstanding – intelligent, quick, funny and frankly inspiring. I left the movie intellectually stimulated. I am convinced the quality, cadence and wit of my oration went through the roof that evening.

The two things that typically would have put me off in the movie actually worked. Larry David was great in the “Woody Allen role”. Seeing Woody Allen play that role would have probably annoyed me. Moreover, his talking to the camera actually works!

People often say the only difference between a Shakespearean comedy and tragedy is the ending because despite all the drama, darkness and intrigue, in one they end up all getting married to each other and in the other they all die. In a way this seems to be becoming true of Woody Allen movies and this one is a Woody Allen comedy. While the dialogue and humor are very dark, the movie is very much a comedy with a light tone and a predictable happy ending provided by New York’s magical capacity to turn people into who they really are.

Go watch it!

P.S. Someone should make a movie with such amazing dialogue with happy, well adjusted, super smart characters, if only to show that intelligence is not necessarily associated with arrogance, pessimism and social aloofness! Then again, maybe the plot would be boring if that was the case 🙂