Written in 1966 for the theater and adapted to the cinema in 1969 by third parties, without great success, Don't Drink the Water is a stand-alone work in Allen's career. Even when finally adapted, directed and performed by the author, in this 1994 version, it was produced for television and not for cinema.
The sense of humor is typical of Woody Allen and the work is, without a doubt, amusing. The problem is that we are dealing with the humor of 1966 Woody Allen. It is much closer to What's New Pussycat? Or Take the Money and Run than anything Allen wrote and performed after 1975. It's fun but lacks depth. It is a farce, not an ironic reflection on life and the human condition.
It's just entertainment.
The sense of humor is typical of Woody Allen and the work is, without a doubt, amusing. The problem is that we are dealing with the humor of 1966 Woody Allen. It is much closer to What's New Pussycat? Or Take the Money and Run than anything Allen wrote and performed after 1975. It's fun but lacks depth. It is a farce, not an ironic reflection on life and the human condition.
It's just entertainment.