Manhattan Murder Mystery 1993
Woody Allen’s movies can be hit or miss for me, but this one was available with a Screen Pass and got good reviews. It combines a few reliable genres, but in doing so, shortchanges all of them. It is largely a comedy, but frequently clumsy. Part of the problem is that it feels largely improvised, like Allen had a scene in mind, but lets the actors just run with it. I don’t like that style, even while it has been successful in shows like The Office and Curb Your Enthusiasm. The actors will say dumb things or say them over and over again, maybe not realizing the repeats are going to be edited into the final print. Allen has some good lines, but the other actors probably need more structure to make the comedy really work, and while it is being played naturalistically, it still feels artificial. Allen is frequently overly silly, which doesn’t fit. The movie is also a murder mystery, but as a director, Allen isn’t at his best with tension, intrigue, and suspense. The characters talk about going to the police with their suspicions, but without evidence, then when they get some evidence, they don’t go. Some of the big reveals kind of come out of the blue and don’t seem that likely. Lastly, it is also a relationship movie, but it seems almost superficial as Allen and Keaton’s marriage is tested. A lot of this is just how Allen writes and shoots a movie. It feels very natural as the characters walk around on the streets of New York, with bags of garbage on the sidewalk. The camera often seems handheld, a little too much so as it follows characters around.
Still, the movie certainly has its charms. Allen puts together a nice cast with himself, Keaton, Anjelica Huston, and Alan Alda. Zach Braff, who must have been 17 or 18 years old, plays Allen and Keaton’s college age son in one scene. I didn’t even recognize him, so I had to go back and watch again once I read up on the movie. Joy Behar of The View (which I have never watched) also has a part. Jerry Adler is very good as the neighbor/suspect. Also the central murder mystery is interesting, with some twists and turns, feeling a little like The Rear Window as this couple lets their imaginations get the better of them in suspecting their neighbors. It is worth watching, but a little clunky unless you really enjoy Woody Allen’s loose style of directing.
Written: 07 Apr 2022