Review of Love and Death (2013) by Benjamin F — 22 May 2008

I've only been watching Woody Allen films for a few years now, and I've only seen about a handful of them altogether. Of the lot, there've been hits and misses. The hits are fantastastic works of cinema with great writing and performances that everyone should see.

The misses still tend to entertain in their own way, even if they aren't spectacular. Love and Death is definitely one of the hits. The script is sharp, absurd, intelligent, and consistently very funny throughout.

The subject matter - epic Russian literature like the works of Dostoyevsky and philosophical cinema such as the works of Bergman - was ripe for parody, and Allen pulled that off handily. As usual, he and Keaton were a delight to watch together.

The cinematography was good, and everyone performed their roles and pulled off the jokes well. The film's own philosophical elements managed to work well with the overt absurdism that dominated the comedy.

All in all, a very funny movie that you shouldn't miss. It goes by quickly at its relatively short length, and Allen doesn't waste a minute of it.