Even when delivering something of a regression, as this film is, (Allen) still packs more laughs and ideas into a film than most filmmakers do into a career.
CommentJul 4, 2010
Whatever Works (2009)
49
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:151
Fresh:75
Rotten:76
Average Rating:5.3/10
Consensus: Based upon a script written in the 1970s, Woody Allen's Whatever Works suffers from a lack of fresh ideas.
Theatrical Release: Jun 19, 2009 Wide
Box Office: $5.2M
Synopsis: An eccentric New Yorker (Larry David) abandons his upper class life to lead a more bohemian existence. He meets a young girl from the south and her... [More]
Starring: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Begley Jr, Patricia Clarkson
Director: Woody Allen
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REVIEWS FOR WHATEVER WORKS
Even diehard fans might find it a bit of a chore.
Jun 28, 2010
It won't win Allen new converts, but for those of faith, it offers consolation.
Jun 25, 2010
Whatever Works is a welcome return to Allen’s New York roots and enjoyable insofar as it is far wittier than most modern comedies, but it lacks anything fresh to say.
Jun 25, 2010
David might be plugging a gap between Curb series, but Allen can do better.
Jun 25, 2010
Whatever Works works.
Jun 25, 2010
What's Woody Allen's worst film? Look no further.
Jun 24, 2010
Tragically making Vicky Cristina Barcelona look like a happy accident, Whatever Works is retro Allen that smacks of desperation.
Jun 24, 2010
For all its wobbles, Whatever Works is rooted in an agreeable sensibility: life favours fate over luck more than we’d like to think, so grab whatever chances of happiness come your way.
Jun 24, 2010
It’s not classic Woody Allen, despite him writing it 40 years ago, but you’ll be fairly entertained.
Jun 24, 2010
The rhythm of comedy dialogue has changed, yet Allen executes his script in a manner that leaves the cast swimming in a piece that feels curiously dated, like it's a lost picture from yesteryear.
Jun 24, 2010
Allen showed us better than anyone what the good times really look like. We can’t quite give up on that. We never will.
Jun 24, 2010
Great news! Woody Allen has extended his run of decent films! To two!
Jun 24, 2010
There's an abundance of incisive one-liners and embittered tirades, with David bringing a new caustic flavour to Allen's nebbish alter ego, and if the action is occasionally contrived and stagy, it's mostly amusing and assured.
Jun 24, 2010
It seems that Allen -- who hasn't needed to prove himself in an age -- is now happy to settle for, well, whatever works.
Jun 24, 2010
Whatever Works is derived from a project Allen sketched out in the ’70s, shelved due to quality concerns. First thought, best thought.
Jun 23, 2010
Enjoyable, well written and frequently amusing Woody Allen comedy that doesn't exactly break any new ground but should at least bring in the Larry David fans.
Jun 23, 2010
While you may well have heard this sort of thing before, the familiarity of the humour makes it all the more lovable.
May 25, 2010
Representa mais um esforço acima da média deste cineasta que, mesmo aos 74 anos, não dá sinais de pretender diminuir seu ritmo de produção.
May 2, 2010
full review at Movies for the Masses
Dec 10, 2009
LATEST NEWS FOR WHATEVER WORKS
June 18, 2009:
Critics Consensus: Year One Fails To Beget Laughs
This week at the movies, we've got Biblical bloopers (Year One, starring Jack Black and Michael Cera) and an engagement of convenience (The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds). What...
More...
May 10, 2009:
Trailer Bulletin: Whatever Works
Larry David steps in as Woody Allen's latest on-screen surrogate in "Whatever Works," due out June 19. Watch the trailer now!
More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 19% | Cop Out |
| 28% | Clash of the Titans |
| 67% | Date Night |
| 7% | The Bounty Hunter |
| 75% | Kick-Ass |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 12% | Killers |
| 48% | MacGruber |
| 26% | The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond |
| — | Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam |
| 82% | Solitary Man |
