Review of Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) by Cale R — 01 Mar 2009

In the beginning I kept thinking back to Melinda and Melinda, about how something from comedy could also be done tragically and visa versa. Martin Landau's character has a lot of Woody Allen in him: his responses, how he's always defensive.

But after a while, the drama just sucks you right in. Alan Alda is so great at playing a douche bag, it makes you wonder how much of that is actually acting. I like how real this also feels in comparison to Woody's early work.

Boy doesn't get girl, instead she falls for the more successful man. Man commits a crime, feels guilty, yes, but gets away with it scott free and moves on with his life. The best example of realism in the film is where Woody's sister is telling him about this man she had been seeing.

He's a nice guy, charming. They go on three dates and one night they'd been drinking, and made their way to her bedroom. He ties her up, by request, and takes a shit on her and leaves. It's a horrible story, but it feels so down to Earth, especially with her exclaiming how lonely she is.

The ending is also brilliant with Landau and Woody. You gotta check this one out.