Is David enough to make Allen’s ‘Whatever Works’ work?

In 'Whatever Works,' Larry David is clearly playing director Woody Allen's alter ego.

He's always been a maverick as a director, writer, actor, even musician, so it's no surprise Woody Allen's new film Whatever Works, which opens Friday, goes totally against the grain in terms of everything Hollywood currently wants in its productions.

It's a small budget ($15 million) non-action, non-blockbuster adult work with a lead actor (Larry David) that is far more famous for his role as a writer, co-creator, producer and actor in two landmark television comedies, Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

It's also hardly what you'd expect to see rolled out in the summer, sandwiched between the bombast of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Public Enemies.

Whatever Works marks Allen's first film shot in New York since 2004, and the only one he's making on these shores until at least 2011. He's already committed to shooting the next three in Europe, and some of Allen's comments made when <i>Whatever Works</i> opened at the Tribeca Film Festival in April indicate his sizable disenchantment with current trends and strategies in cinema.

Among other things, Allen blasted the notion all films must appeal mostly to young people and bemoaned what he saw as an overemphasis on action and devaluation on character development and storytelling. In addition, he said it was doubtful American studios were really interested anymore in directors doing his type of film — introspective, character-driven and dialog-heavy presentations.

For sure this isn't lightweight fare aimed at those seeking cheery, fun works. The storyline revolves around a botched suicide attempt that unfolds into a messy love triangle and bizarre May-December marriage. At the center is David, clearly serving as Allen's alter ego.

Allen says he's written this to be a serious adult look at aging, its impact in relationships, and the price acerbic, painfully honest people pay when they don't try to be diplomatic or compromising in their public dealings. David has proven a master at snide putdowns, cynical comebacks and pained responses over six seasons on Curb Your Enthusiasm, but whether audiences want to see that type of character as the foundation for a complete film is another question.

There's also the issue of topicality. Allen wrote Whatever Works back in the '70s, envisioning it as a set piece for the late, great Zero Mostel. Aside from the fact that not many folks in the current audience even know who that is, it's a fair question to ask whether Allen has updated things beyond a few linguistic tweaks and situations. Also, some critics are asking whether he's already told this story one time too many.

The rest of the cast, which includes Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley Jr., Michael McKean and Henry Cavill seems a topflight one. While he's earned more than 20 Oscar nominations over his illustrious career, Allen's last win came for Original Screenplay in 1986 for Hannah and Her Sisters. Perhaps the most critical question facing Whatever Works is how much appeal does a Woody Allen film have in 2009?

Whatever Works
Written and directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley Jr., Michael McKean, Henry Cavill, Adam Brooks
Time: 92 minutes
Rating: pg-13