Review of Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) by Adrian B — 05 May 2012

Another Woody Allen movie with multiple stories that are staggering different: in one, Allen plays a man who wants to broadcast a documentary to the world, but is triumphed by a cocky, self-indulgent ignorant superior (Alan Alda).

Allen confides to two people for his problem: one, his young niece to whom he watches movies religiously with; and two, a producer (Mia Farrow), of which he begins to fall for. The other story revolves around a married doctor (Martin Landau), who is engaging in an affair with a hysterical woman (Angelica Huston) that wants to rendezvous with him again.

He also confides in a friend, stating that he wants to get rid of her, and sadly, those plans materialize with fatal results. Though the characters are as flat as the Canadian Prairies, the story is interesting enough for me to overlook this fault (a number of critics have pointed out this flaw, some consider it damaging to the film).

An unusual comedy that contains Allen's usual wit and intelligence.