A Heartwarming Murder (Manhattan Murder Mystery (DVD))

Member Name: bluerose81

Product:	Manhattan Murder Mystery (DVD)
Date:	29/08/09 (7 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Music, the actors and an amusing little story

Disadvantages: If you are not that endeared by Woody Allen, it might not quite work for you

'Manhattan Murder Mystery' is a thoroughly enjoyable, comic-mystery romp. He teams up with Diane Keaton for the first time in ages and their on screen rapport is as good as it was in 'Annie Hall' or 'Manhattan'. MMM was released in 1993, the year after Woody made the PR boob of running off with Mia Farrow's adopted daughter. It is said that the lightweight, fun feel of this movie was Woody's intention, an antidote to the recent heavy drama in his personal life.

Woody and Diane play Larry and Carol Lipton, an educated, middle-aged couple living in a luxurious New York apartment. Carol complains that they have become "a pair of comfortable old shoes", but Larry thinks she is too nuts to get comfortable with. When Carol becomes obsessed with the idea that their elderly neighbour, Mr House, has murdered his wife, Larry just thinks she is being menopausal.

The likeable Alan Alda had already worked with Woody in 'Crimes and Misdemeanours' in 1989, and he is great here too, playing the part of Ted, a single friend of the couple. The Liptons try to fix Ted up with an author that Larry deals with in his capacity as her editor, Marcia Fox, played seductively by Angelica Houston. The problem is that Ted appears to be falling in love with Carol and Marcia has got the hots for Larry. Carol accuses him of lapping it up; "the only thing you didn't do is rub your hands together" and the ever-sensitive Larry doesn't help things by teasing Carol that Marcia is indeed "dangerously sexual".

Eventually even Larry becomes convinced that there is a dark side to their elderly, stamp-collecting neighbour and they unite together in an obsession to solve the mystery, but they cannot go to the police due to lack of evidence. There is a hilarious scene with all four of them, a tape recorder and a daft plan designed to ensnare the suspected murderer, Mr House. Their meddling brings the Liptons into danger, and although they do solve the mystery, by the end of the movie they have gone from comfortable to feeling glad to be alive.

There are references to a certain Hitchcock movie dotted around, and Woody uses clips of a real film noir to convey the notion that real life can indeed imitate the movies and maybe it isn't as boring as we think. He says himself that he often feels disappointed with his work, and that the ideas in his head often don't translate as well onto screen. You can tell he was trying hard with this movie, and although it doesn't quite gel together as a masterpiece, it is an interesting idea, and it implies there is a chance that there is a masterpiece still to come from Woody Allen.

The actors are all great in this, including Jerry Adler and Lynn Cohen as Mr and Mrs House, and Woody is very comical throughout as the self-obsessed neurotic. There is also a great soundtrack of golden oldies such as 'I'm in the Mood for Love' and 'I Happen to Like New York'. Definitely worth watching for some fun, and Woody Allen fans will find him endearing I am sure.

Summary: Worth watching