Andy Gapin

Whatever Works is absolutely fantastic. I truly believe this is the perfect role for Larry David, even better than Curb Your Enthusiasm. His character Boris is as articulate as he is cynical…or maybe as cynical as he is articulate? Either one. It doesn’t matter. It’s hilarious. His pessimism is actually almost uplifting and refreshing. Rather than bring you down, it makes you want to appreciate the happiness in life more. I’m not quite sure that that’s what Woody Allen was going for, but hey, whatever works, right? And Evan Rachel Wood pulls off an incredibly loveable Southern girl and the accent becomes more of a turn on than an annoyance.

Whatever Works is different than most comedies being made today…at least the mainstream releases anyway. Larry David’s character, Boris, talks to the camera and it’s great. It works. The humor is smart and references physics theories like String Theory and such, but without requiring a previous understanding of them. These references are applied to everyday life and to love, but in a rather relatable way. While I only found myself actually laughing out loud a handful of times, Whatever Works rarely has a dull or even unfunny moment. I do, however, find it a bit scary as I’m afraid that I may one day turn out to be a much less articulate version of Boris, myself. Oh well.

Despite the more negative-than-positive reviews of this flick, I loved it. It was fun. It was smart. It was cute. And through an endless barrage of cynicism, it made me love life.

Rating: A