Review of Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) by Ryan V — 10 Oct 2012

One of the most notable aspects of Crimes and Misdemeanors is how seamlessly it blends a dramatic murder story with a comedic tale. Martin Landau plays Judah Rosenthal, a successful man who winds up murdering his mistress (Anjelica Huston) when she threatens to reveal their affair to his family.

Woody Allen is Cliff Stern, a struggling filmmaker who's stuck making a documentary regarding his pompous brother-in-law (Alan Alda). The seemingly divergent narratives run parallel to each other for most of the movie, but things come together in an interesting manner towards the end.

While the film does leap across tonal barriers in a hopscotch manner, it ultimately sticks the landing thanks to a fine ensemble cast and Allen's tight direction.