Review of Bananas (2006) by Dave S — 20 Jan 2010

In the exact same vein as TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN, BANANAS is a ceaseless string of spastic jokes and slapstick goofs hanging off of a thinnish plotline, however this time around the jokes are funnier and the plot is slightly more coherent - even if just slightly moreso.

Allen stars as the ludicrously named Fielding Mellish, who goes to San Marcos for a vacation, gets kidnapped by political rebels, somehow becomes president of San Marcos, then ends up back in the USA on trial for subversion.

Again, the ridiculous plot is really besides the point. BANANAS is at times righteously and sharply funny, especially in its first half, but the rapid-fire visual gags and one-liners will exasperate audiences longing for three-dimensional characters or a more tangible storyline by the film's end.

Allen's early films are often referred to as his "Cartoon Comedies" by critics, and BANANAS is a prime example of why. It can be hilarious, sometimes dazzlingly so, but it can also be a bit too zany for its own good, and as with TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN feels as though it goes on way too long, despite being just over 80 minutes.