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78 reviews in total

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46 out of 48 people found the following review useful:
Allen is a comic genius!, 15 October 2003

Author: Tom Crossont (tcrossont) from Rosedale, Maryland

This is the sort of movie I can watch over and over. In one word I would say it is clever. A combination of mystery, suspense, drama, and Allen's ingenious humor, Manhattan Murder Mystery is my favorite Woody Allen movie. Perhaps my favorite movie - period. The plot was fresh, and having such humor with suspense is just too good. Another quality I enjoy in this movie is how Allen avoids an "over-polished" look. For instance, the scene where a neighbor in the hallway asks Paul about a rent increase. The actor appears to stumble for the right word, but Allen let the scene go that way giving it a very natural look. The restaurant scenes also portray realism with multiple conversations at one time; a quality I love in all of his movies. This makes reviewing the movies interesting- you pick up something new each time you watch it! Woody Allen's style is definitely an intelligent humor.

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38 out of 38 people found the following review useful:
Underrated, Brilliant, 15 July 1999

Author: frink-3 from Binghamton, NY

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

No one took this film seriously when it came out earlier this decade. Most people thought it a fluffy, trifle of a film. And it is certainly light-hearted compared to some of Allen's weightier fare (see Husbands and Wives, his best movie of the past decade). But having watched this film again recently I think it is a stunning achievement in comedy. Allen and Keaton have great chemistry as a couple in a humdrum marriage who stumble on to what turns out to be a murder cover-up. Watching all the people in this film try to figure out how to be detectives based on stuff they've seen in movies and read in books is hilarious, not to mention smart. The latenight dinner conversation among Allen, Keaton, Alda, and Huston is some of the best, sharpest, funniest, fastest dialogue ever written (or ad libbed). One of the best comedies of the 90s. frink-3

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40 out of 44 people found the following review useful:
My favorite Woody Allen!, 8 July 2003

Author: Zoopansick from Ohio

This is my favorite Woody Allen movie and right up there with Annie Hall and Manhattan as one of his best. Woody is at his best when he has Diane Keaton by his side and this proves it. A lot of his more recent movies haven't been good, because he is pairing himself with much younger actresses who aren't as good at this type of comedy or who aren't good at all in the case of Helen Hunt. This movie is hilarious even if you are my age (20). I think it's refreshing to go the video store and rent a comedy that isn't either a stupid spoof, or a teen comedy that plays like a rated R sitcom. This is a comedy that actually has a story, and Woody has the best lines. If you don't like Woody's style though you won't like this, but if you have seen Annie Hall or any of his other movies and liked them then you should love this one.

Zoopansick

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22 out of 23 people found the following review useful:
Great reunion with Keaton and Allen., 30 July 2005

Author: omp9 from Norway

Manhattan Murder Mystery is a terrific Woody Allen film whit a wonderful mix of murder, mystery and comedy. With an all star fantastic cast; Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Alan Alda, Anjelica Huston and Jerry Adler.

The reunion of Keaton and Allen together was such a delight, the chemistry between Allen and Keaton, is truly top-notch, remind me of Annie Hall.(Diane Keatons role where actually intended for Mia Farrow, but as most of you know Woody Allen was going through his off-screen scandal at the time..). Like the most of Allens films this also have a witty dialog and excellent character development. And the murder mystery is very intelligent, fun and stylish mystery-comedy. Whit Manhattan Murder Mystery Allen also reunites with writer Marshall Brickman, they wrote Annie Hall and Manhattan together, Like those films, this one contains some very funny one-liners.

Manhattan Murder Mystery is one of Woody Allen's most wonderful movies. 9 out of 10.

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18 out of 19 people found the following review useful:
Light comedy from Woody Allen, 19 October 2004

Author: rbverhoef (rbverhoef@hotmail.com) from The Hague, Netherlands

This is a nice and light Woody Allen comedy about a death in a building that could be a murder. At least Diane Keaton's character thinks so, without really having a reason for that. She plays Carol Lipton, married to Larry Lipton (Woody Allen). They have just met their neighbors Paul (Jerry Adler) and Lillian House (Lynn Cohen) when Lillian dies. Because Paul is not that sad and is too ready to move on Carol becomes suspicious. When she is realizing certain strange events that has occurred her suspicion grows. Larry thinks it is pretty stupid but when a friend named Ted (Alan Alda) does believe her and helps her with the investigation he gets jealous and offers to help after all.

Whether a real murder has committed is not the point, I guess. Allen gives us standard movie situations, ridicules them a little, and betters them then. There is a scene where Allen and Keaton go from an elevator into a basement when the lights fall out. It is completely dark, something we have seen more in thrillers, and for some reason Allen is able to make this cliché thriller scene suspenseful. There are more of these moments. Since this is an Allen film there are a lot of links to other famous movies (the script itself is a little like Hitchcock's 'Rear Window') and famous scenes, the ending in particular does a terrific job in reliving one of the most memorable scenes out there. (It has to with mirrors, I guess you know what movie I am talking about). This light Allen comedy is a terrific mystery story with brilliant touches that will be liked not only by Allen-fans, but by everyone who loves either comedy or mystery suspense.

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18 out of 21 people found the following review useful:
A light but very fun comedy, 14 February 2004

Author: Cameron (inthreefour@aol.com) from Northern California

Woody Allen and Diane Keaton reunite in this fine film, and both are in top form. Although it largely abandons the angst-filled themes of many of Allen's earlier films, it replaces it with a playfulness and sense of fun which elevates the film above your standard comedy or mystery. Alan Alda is notable for his fine performance, as well.

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20 out of 25 people found the following review useful:
Keaton & Allen reunited for fun flick!, 27 April 2004

Author: Christopher (mrcaw1@hotmail.com) from New York

Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) Dir: Woody Allen Supposedly Miss Keaton (never married by the way) only did this film as a favor to Mr. Allen who was enduring some rather unsavory press at the time concerning his breakup with actress Mia Farrow and his ensuing love affair with Miss Farrow's adopted teenage daughter. Because Allen needed a quick hit, he asked Keaton to help him out by starring in this murder mystery comedy. Luckily for Allen (and for that matter, Keaton) the movie was a hit.

Allen and Keaton star as husband and wife in a New York City apartment who suspect that their neighbor killed his wife! Angelica Houston and Alan Alda provide additional comic relief as friends helping the couple solve the mystery. Although the film takes its structure from Rear Window, Allen chose to end it with an homage to Orson Wells's classic mirror sequence in Lady From Shanghai. It's a very funny movie allowing Keaton and Allen to showcase their by now perfected New York City type characters.

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10 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
Mystery, Suspense and Refined and Witty Humor in Manhattan, 17 October 2011

Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In Manhattan, Carol (Diane Keaton) and her husband Larry Lipton (Woody Allen) are coming home late night when they meet their next door neighbors Lillian (Lynn Cohen) and Paul House (Jerry Adler) in the elevator. Lillian and Paul invite their neighbors to drink coffee with them in their apartment and Lillian shows her treadmill to Carol and Paul shows his collection of stamps to Larry. While drinking coffee, the elderly couple tells that they have been married for twenty-eight years and they have a twin tomb in the cemetery. Lillian tells that she is in good shape and uses her treadmill everyday.

On the next night, Carol and Larry go to see The Flying Dutchman in the theater and when they come back home, they learn that Lillian has died of heart attack. A couple of days later, Carol and Larry meet Paul on the street and Carol believes he is too perky for a widower that has just lost his beloved wife. When Carol accidentally finds an urn with Lillian's ashes in Paul's kitchen, she suspects that Paul has killed Lillian and comments with her friend Ted (Alan Alda). They decide to investigate her neighbor and Carol steals the keys of Paul's apartment from the super. She finds that Paul will travel to Paris and not to Caribbean as he had told to Larry and she, with a woman called Helen Moss. When Carol sees by chance Lillian alive in a bus, her curiosity increases and she decides to go further in her investigation.

Yesterday I was setting in order and cleaning my films on the shelf, and I decided to see again the VHS "Manhattan Murder Mystery". Last time I saw this film was in the 90's and I did not recall the story in details. Woody Allen is one of my favorite directors and actor, and that is the reason why I do not dare to say that this film is one of his best films because I love practically all his filmography.

"Manhattan Murder Mystery" has mystery, suspense and the refined and witty humor typical from Woody Allen. One of my favorite moments is when Larry compares the need to Carol returning to her shrink with a GM's recall. Another very funny moment is when the clumsy Larry plays the wrong tape during the phone conversation with Paul. If the reader wants to spend 104 minutes laughing, watch "Manhattan Murder Mystery" since this film is funny even for those that are not fans of Woody Allen. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil):"Um Misterioso Assassinato em Manhattan" ("A Mysterious Murder in Manhattan")

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11 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
"I'm gonna break this thing wide open!", 28 December 2006

Author: moonspinner55 from las vegas, nv

One of Woody Allen's winners from the 1990s (albeit on a minor scale) reunites him quite snugly with Diane Keaton. Allen and Keaton have such a lived-in rapport (with plenty of jabs but no fatigue) that the sight of them together again in a comedy is an automatic uplift. They portray the Liptons, a regular N.Y.C. couple who suspect foul play from the elderly man in their building whose wife has suddenly died. Smooth, smartly assembled nuttiness with sensational support from Alan Alda as a playwright (with a crush on Keaton) and Anjelica Huston, putting off terrific comedic heat as a novelist. Wrapped up wonderfully with an homage to Orson Welles' "The Lady From Shanghai". Great fun! *** from ****

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8 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
Sickday Suspense., 25 April 2005

Author: molokovelocet from United Kingdom

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

It's one of those films you conveniently locate on your video shelf on that day of the year you feel absolutely sick. My video has "Mighty Aphrodite" recorded immediately after it, but my bedridden convalescent body never seems to get through that one without falling asleep. However, "Manhattan Murder Mystery" mixes the above-par Allen one-liners with a suspense plot that never fails to keep me awake.

Allen, and mainstays of the Allenesque ouvré Diane Keaton and Alan Alda really shine in their performances. My favourite scene involved Allen's reaction to a dead body in a lift him and Keaton have got stuck in.

I gave it eight out of ten. Not Allen's best, but certainly enjoyable. Without it, I'd have nothing to take my mind off those 24-hour bugs every year.

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