Review of The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001) by Shiela E — 05 Nov 2011

One of woody's lesser efforts, but even a mediocre woody allen movie is better than most of the stuff out there. I actually liked the storyline, and felt it was pretty cute and funny. my one complaint was woody himself.

I think because his movies are for the most part very intelligent (a rarity these days), and even his comedies usually contain very serious dramatic touches, people often forget how funny he really is.

I find him one of the most unique, underrated comics in history. I vastly prefer the films he actually appears in as opposed to the ones he has only written and directed. he always provides that much needed light/comedic touch.

"scoop" is a pefect example of this. the movie was MUCH better because of his presence. he elevated it from good to great. and no one can play woody like woody himself with the possible exception of larry david in the recent "whatever works.

" unfortunately, for the first time I can remember, he was miscast here. I just didn't buy him as the hard-boiled, cynical, possible ladies man, insurance investigator he plays in jade scorpion.

still, overall, not a bad film at all. helen hunt was particularly good. I always smiled at the running gag between her and woody in which she would come up with various insults and grisley accidents for his character to die in.

the relationhip between the two was fairly well-developed however(unlike the unbelievable abrupt hate to love change between cary grant and leslie caron in father goose), and it wasn't THAT hard to believe that they might have eventually fallen for each other.

I just would have recast woody's character with perhaps a humphrey bogart/type actor.