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Crimes and Misdemeanors

Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

tomatometer

83

Average Rating: 7.3/10
Critic Reviews: 6
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 1

No consensus yet.

audience

89

liked it
Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 22,358

My Rating

Movie Info

Woody Allen spent most of the 1980s and '90s veering between comedy and drama, and he rarely combined the two with greater success than in Crimes and Misdemeanors, in which he weaved together two stories, one deadly serious, one often funny, both ending in sadness. Martin Landau plays Dr. Judah Rosenthal, a prominent ophthalmologist with a successful practice, a loving family, and a reputation for generous charity work. But Rosenthal also has a secret: his mistress, Dolores (Anjelica Huston).

PG-13,

Drama, Comedy

Woody Allen

Jun 5, 2001

Orion Pictures Corporation

Cast

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All Critics (38) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (37) | Rotten (3) | DVD (12)

The overall 'philosophical' thrust -- that good guys finish last and that crime does pay -- is designed to make the audience feel very wise, but none of the characters or ideas is allowed to develop beyond its cardboard profile.

February 12, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comments (6)
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The structural and stylistic conceit is that when Landau is onscreen, the film is dead serious, even solemn, while Allen's own appearance onscreen signals hilarious satire and priceless one-liners.

February 12, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment (1)
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Dramatically, the film seldom fulfils its promise, and its pessimistic 'moral' -- that good and evil do not always meet with their just deserts -- looks contrived and hollow. Intriguing and patchily effective, nevertheless.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment (1)
Time Out
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The movie's secret strength -- its structure, really -- comes from the truth of the dozens and dozens of particular details through which it arrives at its own very hesitant, not especially comforting, very moving generality.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The movie generates the best kind of suspense, because it's not about what will happen to people -- it's about what decisions they will reach.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A relative of Hannah and Her Sisters in its duplex structure and of The Purple Rose of Cairo in its bitter theme, Crimes is two movies in one, a blend of Allen's satiric and pretentious dramatic styles.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Using the paper-thin lead characters as symbols to show how blind people are about themselves and their relationships has little gravitas, but the comedy is stinging.

March 29, 2010 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The result is a frighteningly intelligent, and often hilariously funny whole.

February 12, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4
Film4

Allen's expertise is evident everywhere.

February 12, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Um discurso filosófico-religioso sobre moralidade e culpa que, por incrível que pareça, não apenas comove como também nos faz rir de maneira surpreendente.

February 7, 2006
Cinema em Cena

Allen starts with a sketchy premise and after working it through for 107 minutes he still has no more than the premise he started with.

January 17, 2006 Full Review Source: Blogcritics.org | Comment (1)
Blogcritics.org

Intelligent, insightful and funny. One of Woody Allen's best films.

October 8, 2005
Fantastica Daily

This examination of the nature of evil interweaves masterfully comedy and melodrama in equal proportion. Instead of taking a casually brutal approach, Allen dwells on the consequences of sin.

July 18, 2005 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com
EmanuelLevy.Com

Near top of line Woody Allen with Alda, Landau, Huston shining.

June 8, 2005
Video-Reviewmaster.com

...this dark meditation on justice and the lack of it may be his best film.

March 28, 2005 Full Review | Comment (1)
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

one of Allen's best, a must-see!

September 19, 2004
Shadows on the Wall

Allen's neurotic outlook on life has never been presented with more clarity.

March 7, 2004 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com
Filmcritic.com

Audience Reviews for Crimes and Misdemeanors

I coincidentally happened to watch this on Woody's birthday, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate the man than by watching one of his finest films. In one of his finest films to blend comedy and drama, we get a superb meditation on choice, morality, fidelity, and the consequences of such things told both humorously and tragically.

With the dramatic story, we get wealthy society man Judah Rosenthal whose ex-mistress is planning to expose his marital and financial indiscretions. He finds himself torn between taking the advice of his rabbi or following the propositions made by his mob-connected brother. Comedically, there's the story of filmmaker Cliff Stern who is torn between making an important work full of integrity or selling out to make a commercial piece that flatters a man who doesn't really deserve it. Yeah, the two stories have a big contrast in terms of the immediate impact of things, but the repercussions of things are matched in the weightiness of ow it'll all end.

This really is a joy to watch, even when it gets dark and heavy. It's impeccably written, wonderfully acted, very compelling, and succeeds with both the drama and the comedy (some of the best laughs being the interactions between Cliff and his niece). And on top of that, the climax and final monologue are simply perfect. I very highly recommend this masterpiece.
November 5, 2011
cosmo313
Chris Weber

Super Reviewer

Perhaps this is a good movie - after all 90% of reviewers like it. I'm in the 10%. Is the world that full of MD's who get away with murder, comedians who are not funny, filmmakers who cannot make films, marriages that are farces? I guess I would prefer my movies to offer me hope instead of realism.
September 22, 2012
Redlats

Super Reviewer

    1. Cliff Stern: The last time I was inside a woman was when I visited the Statue of Liberty. [Woody Allen describing his sex life]
    – Submitted by rick b (13 months ago)
    1. Judah Rosenthal: Without God the world is a cesspool.
    – Submitted by Chad E (16 months ago)

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Foreign Titles

  • Crimes et délits (FR)
  • Delitos y faltas (ES)
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