Review of Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) by Chris W — 04 Dec 2012

I coincidentally happened to watch this on Woody's birthday, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate the man than by watching one of his finest films. In one of his finest films to blend comedy and drama, we get a superb meditation on choice, morality, fidelity, and the consequences of such things told both humorously and tragically.

With the dramatic story, we get wealthy society man Judah Rosenthal whose ex-mistress is planning to expose his marital and financial indiscretions. He finds himself torn between taking the advice of his rabbi or following the propositions made by his mob-connected brother. Comedically, there's the story of filmmaker Cliff Stern who is torn between making an important work full of integrity or selling out to make a commercial piece that flatters a man who doesn't really deserve it. Yeah, the two stories have a big contrast in terms of the immediate impact of things, but the repercussions of things are matched in the weightiness of ow it'll all end.

This really is a joy to watch, even when it gets dark and heavy. It's impeccably written, wonderfully acted, very compelling, and succeeds with both the drama and the comedy (some of the best laughs being the interactions between Cliff and his niece). And on top of that, the climax and final monologue are simply perfect. I very highly recommend this masterpiece.