Rotten Tomatoes

Movies / TV

    Celebrity

      No Results Found

      View All
      Movies Tv shows Movie Trivia News Showtimes
      Watch trailer for Whatever Works

      Whatever Works

      2009, Romance/Comedy, 1h 32m

      169 Reviews 25,000+ Ratings

      What to know

      Critics Consensus

      Based upon a script written in the 1970s, Woody Allen's Whatever Works suffers from a lack of fresh ideas. Read critic reviews

      You might also like

      See More
      Cold Souls poster image
      Cold Souls
      You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger poster image
      You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
      The Damned United poster image
      The Damned United
      Ondine poster image
      Ondine
      Nowhere Boy poster image
      Nowhere Boy

      Where to watch Whatever Works

      Rent/buy Rent/buy Rent/buy

      Rent Whatever Works on Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, or buy it on Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video.

      Rate And Review

      User image

      Verified

      • User image

        Super Reviewer

        Rate this movie

        Oof, that was Rotten.

        Meh, it passed the time.

        It’s good – I’d recommend it.

        Awesome!

        So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

        What did you think of the movie? (optional)



      • You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

      • User image

        Super Reviewer

        Step 2 of 2

        How did you buy your ticket?

        Let's get your review verified.

        • Fandango

        • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

        • Cinemark Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Regal Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Theater box office or somewhere else

        You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

      • User image

        Super Reviewer

        Rate this movie

        Oof, that was Rotten.

        Meh, it passed the time.

        It’s good – I’d recommend it.

        Awesome!

        So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

        What did you think of the movie? (optional)

      • How did you buy your ticket?

        • Fandango

        • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

        • Cinemark Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Regal Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Theater box office or somewhere else

      Whatever Works  Photos

      Whatever Works (2009) Whatever Works (2009) Whatever Works (2009) Whatever Works (2009) "Whatever Works photo 3" "Whatever Works photo 4" "Whatever Works photo 5" "Whatever Works photo 6" "Whatever Works photo 7" "Whatever Works photo 8" "Whatever Works photo 9" "Whatever Works photo 10" "Whatever Works photo 11" "Whatever Works photo 12" "Whatever Works photo 13" "Whatever Works photo 14" "Whatever Works photo 15" "Whatever Works photo 16" "Whatever Works photo 17" "Whatever Works photo 18" "Whatever Works photo 19" "Whatever Works photo 20"

      Movie Info

      After a failed suicide attempt, brilliant New York misanthrope Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David) forsakes his posh upper-class existence for meager accommodations in Chinatown. He meets his exact opposite in Melody (Evan Rachel Wood), a pageant queen from the Deep South who's long on sweetness but short on smarts. Surprisingly, Boris and Melody marry, but the sparks really fly when Melody's born-again Christian mother (Patricia Clarkson) arrives and finds liberation instead of damnation.

      • Rating: PG-13 (Nude Images|Dialogue|Sexual Situations|Thematic Material)

      • Genre: Romance, Comedy

      • Original Language: English

      • Director: Woody Allen

      • Producer: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum

      • Writer: Woody Allen

      • Release Date (Theaters):  limited

      • Release Date (Streaming):

      • Box Office (Gross USA): $5.3M

      • Runtime:

      • Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics

      • Production Co: Wild Bunch, Perdido Productions, Gravier Productions

      Cast & Crew

      News & Interviews for Whatever Works

      Critic Reviews for Whatever Works

      Audience Reviews for Whatever Works

      • Jan 09, 2014
        Larry David is the only reason I watched this film but I soon seen Woody Allens name and realised this was one of many films I hadn't seen. I hold Allens films in high standard and just love the comedy he creates through use of dialogue. This film has hilarious Larry David rants and the dream team of Allen and David fits the comedy moments. You get the sense that Allen created the film for himself in the lead but I think David plays the neurotic lead well. The film has an innocence that you can't ignore, I'm a little shocked at all the mixed reviews. 04-11-2017.
        brendan n Super Reviewer
      • Jun 22, 2013
        This film teaters on the fine line between interesting and strange. I may have a different outlook on this movie than other because I am a huge fan of Larry David, but overall the movie was just okay. It is a decent watch if you are in a cynical mood, but I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to see it. It has a few moments of intrigue and humor, but it is hardly worth anyone's time.
        Super Reviewer
      • Jan 08, 2013
        Not bad, but something just doesn't click.
        Super Reviewer
      • Jul 11, 2012
        Sporadically humorous, but some of the acting is kind of sketchy, and there are a few too many familiar cliches involved in the love stories. I will admit I liked the themes involved and the misanthropic Larry David character.
        Super Reviewer

      Movie & TV guides

      View All