Whatever Works (2009)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

1 July 2009 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Attempting to impress his ideologies on religion, relationships, and the randomness (and worthlessness) of existence...

Plot Keywords:

Runaway | Limp | Religious | Chess | Religion

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Larry David	...	Boris
Adam Brooks	...	Boris' Friend
Lyle Kanouse	...	Boris' Friend
Michael McKean	...	Boris' Friend
Clifford Lee Dickson	...	Boy on Street
Yolonda Ross	...	Boy's Mother
Carolyn McCormick	...	Jessica
Samantha Bee	...	Chess Mother
Conleth Hill	...	Brockman
Marcia DeBonis	...	Lady at Chinese Restaurant
Evan Rachel Wood	...	Melody
John Gallagher Jr.	...	Perry
Willa Cuthrell-Tuttleman	...	Chess Girl (as Willa Cuthrell Tuttleman)
Nicole Patrick	...	Perry's Friend
Patricia Clarkson	...	Marietta
Henry Cavill	...	Randy
Olek Krupa	...	Morgenstern
Ed Begley Jr.	...	John
Christopher Evan Welch	...	Howard
Jessica Hecht	...	Helena
Lindsay Michelle Nader	...	Television Voice (voice)
Armand Schultz	...	Television Voice (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Antonucci	...	Flea Market Shopper (uncredited)
Marc Alan Austen	...	Photo Gallery Patron (uncredited)
Julie Basem	...	Cafe Waitress (uncredited)
Kenneth Edelson	...	Gallery Guest (uncredited)
Gabriel Nussbaum	...	Concert Goer (uncredited)
Chris Nuñez	...	Concert Goer (uncredited)
Quincy Rose	...	Guy on Bench (uncredited)
Robin Rose Singer	...	Indie Rocker (uncredited)

Directed by
Woody Allen

Writing credits (WGA)
Woody Allen		(written by)

Produced by
Letty Aronson	....	producer
Brahim Chioua	....	executive producer
Charles H. Joffe	....	co-executive producer
Vincent Maraval	....	executive producer
Helen Robin	....	co-producer
Jack Rollins	....	co-executive producer
Stephen Tenenbaum	....	producer

Cinematography by
Harris Savides

Film Editing by
Alisa Lepselter

Casting by
Ali Farrell
Laura Rosenthal
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Santo Loquasto

Art Direction by
Tom Warren

Set Decoration by
Ellen Christiansen

Costume Design by
Suzy Benzinger

Makeup Department
Robert Fama	....	key hair stylist
Gail McGuire	....	hair stylist
Linda Melo	....	makeup artist (as Linda Melo-Danzo)
Rosemary Zurlo	....	key makeup artist (as Rosemarie Zurlo)

Production Management
Helen Robin	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dan Majkut	....	dga trainee
Murphy Occhino	....	second assistant director
Richard Patrick	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Kenneth Brzozowski	....	key carpenter
Kathleen Dolan	....	assistant property master
Virginia Gifford	....	scenic artist
James Granger	....	art department assistant
Daniel K. Grosso	....	leadman
Beth Kuhn	....	assistant art director
Glenn Lloyd	....	art department coordinator
Ann Durnin Mckendry	....	set dresser
Ann Miller	....	property master
Nicholas J. Mongelli Jr.	....	chief construction grip
Thomas Nousias	....	scenic artist (as Tom Nousias)
Mark Pollard	....	additional graphic artist
Jon Ringbom	....	master scenic artist
Manny Sanchez	....	carpenter
Elizabeth Schlitten	....	assistant property master
Cliff Schorr	....	stand-by scenic artist
Andrew Spagnoli	....	set dresser
Jennifer B. Starke	....	assistant set decorator (as Jennifer Starke)
Rodney Sterbenz	....	set dresser
Richard Tenewitz	....	construction coordinator
Dana Wilson	....	scenic artist
Joseph Ziegler	....	stand-by carpenter

Sound Department
Gary Alper	....	production sound mixer
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer
Lee Dichter	....	re-recording mixer: Sound One Corp.
Pete Fonda	....	boom operator
Matthew Haasch	....	foley editor (as Matt Haasch)
Robert Hein	....	supervising sound editor
Thomas Kodros	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Sylvia Menno	....	dialogue editor
Glenfield Payne	....	sound effects editor
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
Jason Stasium	....	cable person
Damian Volpe	....	sound effects editor
David Wahnon	....	sound editor

Visual Effects by
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects supervisor: Big Film Design (as Randy Balsmeyer)
Dana Bloder	....	digital opticals producer: Technicolor, NY
J. John Corbett	....	compositing supervisor: Big Film Design
Charles Lapage	....	digital compositor
Jesse Morrow	....	digital opticals: Technicolor, NY
David Piombino	....	digital compositing: Big Film Design
Adrienne Winterhalter	....	visual effects producer: Big Film Design

Stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunt coordinator
Don Hewitt	....	stunt double: Boris (as Don Hewitt Sr.)

Camera and Electrical Department
Christian Baldi	....	lighting technician
Matt Balzarini	....	second assistant camera
Adriana Brunetto-Lipman	....	camera loader (as Adriana Brunatto)
Greg Canicio	....	best boy rigging grip
Joel Carucci	....	key rigging grip
Marcel Ciurea	....	grip
Rashad Clinton	....	rigging grip
Doug Dalisera	....	key rigging electric (as Douglas Dalisera)
Russell Engels	....	gaffer (as Russ Engels)
Robert K. Feldmann	....	grip
James W. Finnerty	....	key grip (as James Finnerty Jr.)
Kevin Fraser	....	key grip
Timothy Healy	....	electrician
Patrick Johnson	....	rigging grip
Richard C. Kerekes	....	dolly grip
James Mah	....	best boy electric (as Jim Mah)
Jessica Miglio	....	still photographer
Tim Norman	....	first assistant camera
Christopher Purificato	....	best boy grip (as Chris Purificato)
Kyle Rudolph	....	camera operator
James F. Walsh	....	shop electric (as James Walsh Sr.)
Kevin Walsh	....	best boy rigging electric

Casting Department
Karen E. Etcoff	....	extras casting: Kee Casting
Maribeth Fox	....	casting associate
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting
Bill Tripician	....	extras casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Danajean Cicerchi	....	costume supervisor
Jeff Fender	....	costume assistant
Nicholas McManus	....	costume production assistant
Marco Piemontese	....	costume assistant
Scott Westervelt	....	costume supervisor
Patrick Wiley	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Terry Claborn	....	color timer: Technicolor, No. Hollywood
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Kate Rose Itzkowitz	....	assistant editor
Morgan Neville	....	first assistant editor (as Morgan A. Neville)
Tim Stipan	....	digital opticals colorist: Technicolor, NY
Brian Umana	....	editing intern: dailies
Joe Violante	....	dailies advisor: Technicolor, NY

Music Department
Jill Meyers	....	music clearances
Roy B. Yokelson	....	music recording engineer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
John Canavan	....	transportation co-captain
Eugene O'Neill	....	transportation captain (as Gene O'Neill)

Other crew
Deborah Alexander	....	assistant: Mr. Tenenbaum
Abby Bailey	....	assistant production accountant
Theo Brooks	....	production assistant
Laura Comerford	....	insurance: AON/Albert G. Ruben, Inc.
Angela Cutrone	....	additional production assistant
Leo Driver	....	parking coordinator
Bill Garvey	....	location scout
Tom Glick	....	production assistant
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative
Rebecca Hawkes	....	technical services: worldwide, Schedule 2
Shani Hinton	....	legal services: Jitterbug Law
Sophie Holland	....	production assistant
Adrianne Jorge	....	projectionist
Elizabeth Klenk	....	second assistant location manager
Scott Kordish	....	production coordinator
James Lesage	....	set production assistant
Phillip Leung	....	production assistant
Jessica Lichtner	....	script supervisor
Pietro Lorino Jr.	....	production accountant
Gine Lui	....	location scout
Liz Magee	....	production assistant
Suk Yi Mar	....	location scout (as Suk-Yi Mar)
Richard McCune	....	production financing: City National Bank (as Richard V. McCune)
Soren Miltich	....	set production assistant
Kathryn Minogue	....	stand-in
Christie Mullen	....	location manager
Brian Papworth	....	set production assistant
Erik Piecuch	....	production financing: City National Bank
Emma Pindar	....	technical services: worldwide, Schedule 2
Lynn H. Powers	....	assistant location manager
Regina Scott	....	additional production assistant
Jeff Sedwick	....	additional production assistant
Colby Shrefler	....	location assistant
Joshua Shull	....	location assistant
Nate Shull	....	location assistant
Susan Silas	....	location scout
Lora Sorrentino	....	set production assistant
John Spady	....	second assistant location manager
Laura Streicher	....	assistant: Mr. David
Peter Tavis Jr.	....	production office assistant
Irwin J. Tenenbaum	....	legal services: Loeb & Loeb
Melissa Tomjanovich	....	assistant: Mr. Allen
Amy R. Trachtman	....	assistant production coordinator
Kelly Trivigno	....	payroll accountant
Caroline Turner	....	publicity: Hyperactive Publicity
Joseph Turner	....	set production assistant
Sawyer Williams	....	production secretary
Liam Doyle	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Michael Bloomberg	....	thanks (as Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg)
Roberto Cavalli	....	thanks
Antoine Douaihy	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance: "Marietta's Photographs" - Female Figures, "Untitled #1" through "Untitled #12" and Male Figures, "Untitled #13" through "Untitled #18" (as Antoine L. Douaihy)
Cristobal Gabarron	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance: The Gabarron Foundation artwork by
Neil Girardi	....	thanks
James Hickey	....	thanks
Greg Johnson	....	thanks
Robert Lee Morris	....	thanks
Katherine Oliver	....	thanks (as Commissioner Katherine L. Oliver)
Peter Som	....	thanks
Vivienne Tam	....	thanks
Diane von Fürstenberg	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Sony Pictures Classics (presents)
• Wild Bunch (in association with)
• Gravier Productions (in association with)
• Perdido Productions

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Classics (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Acme Film (2009) (Lithuania) (theatrical)
• Albatros Film (2010) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Entertainment (2009) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Energía Entusiasta (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Festive Films (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Pictures (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Kitokio kino klubas (2011) (Lithuania) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2010) (UK) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2011) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Argentina Video Home (2012) (Argentina) (DVD) (as part of the pack 'Colección Woody Allen')
• ArtCam (2009) (Czech Republic) (all media)
• California Filmes (2009) (Brazil) (all media)
• FS Film Oy (2009) (Finland) (all media)
• Green Light Films (2009) (Iceland) (all media)
• Hopscotch Films (2009) (Australia) (all media)
• LineTree (2009) (South Korea) (all media)
• Mars Distribution (2009) (France) (all media)
• Medusa Distribuzione (2009) (Italy) (all media)
• Nachshon Films (2009) (Israel) (all media)
• Panorama Distributions (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Paradise/MGN (2009) (Russia) (all media)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paradiso (2009) (Belgium) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2009) (Canada) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2010) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Big Film Design (visual effects by)

Other Companies

• 42West  publicity (as 42 West)
• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance (as AON/Albert G. Ruben, Inc.)
• Camera Service Center  cameras (as ARRI CSC)
• Carhartt  also thanks
• Cast & Crew Entertainment Services  payroll
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• City National Bank  production financing
• David Haddad  transportation equipment
• David Kramer's Looping Group  background vocals
• Dawn Animal Agency  animals provided by
• FREeSHOUT  also thanks
• Haddad's  transportation equipment
• Hyperactive Publicity  publicity
• Image Bank Films by Getty Images  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance: "New Year's Eve" footage supplied by (as Image Bank Film/Getty Images)
• International Film Guarantors  completion guarantee
• J.Press  also thanks
• Jitterbug Law  legal services
• Kee Casting  extras casting
• LaCoste  also thanks (as Lacoste)
• Loeb & Loeb  legal services (as Loeb & Loeb)
• McKenna Brothers Kraft Service  craft service (as McKenna Brothers)
• Noel Stewart Millinery  also thanks (as Noel Stewart Millinery - London)
• Orbit Digital  equipment and support: Avid
• PostWorks  transfer house
• Razor & Tie Direct  soundtrack (as Razor & Tie)
• Schedule 2  technical services: worldwide
• Sound One Corporation  re-recording (as Sound One Corp.)
• Steve & Linda Horn  also thanks
• Tai Seng Entertainment  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance: Chinese movie posters courtesy of
• Technicolor  release printing
• Technicolor  digital opticals by
• Tomkats Catering  craft service (as TomKats Catering)
• Universal Studios Licensing  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance: "Touch of Evil" footage courtesy of

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual situations including dialogue, brief nude images and thematic material

Runtime:

USA:92 min (Tribeca Film Festival) | Argentina:92 min

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Mono)

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44832) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | France:U | Norway:A | Singapore:M18 | Hong Kong:IIB | Australia:M | Netherlands:6 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Brazil:12 | Japan:PG12 | Argentina:13 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Sony Pictures Classics

Trivia:

The role of Boris Yellnikoff was original written for Zero Mostel. After Mostel's death in 1977, Woody Allen set the screenplay aside. However, with a potential actor's strike during 2008-9, Allen chose this old screenplay to be his next film. Furthermore Zero Mostel and Larry David both played the role of Max Bialistock. Mostel in the original Producers and David in the play within a show representing the main story arc from season 4 of Curb your Enthusiasm.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the scene where Boris is visiting the woman he accidentally injured, set in her hospital room, the boom mic is clearly visible on the left side of the screen.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Boris Yellnikoff:That's not what I'm saying, imbecile. You guys completely misrepresent my ideas, why would I even want to talk with those idiots.
Boris' Friend:Just calm down.
Boris' Friend:That's not true, Boris.
Boris Yellnikoff:No, don't tell me to calm down, I am calm. Just stop.
Boris' Friend:Don't jump on us just because we don't understand what you're saying.
Boris Yellnikoff:I didn't jump on you. It's not the idea behind Christianity I'm faulting, or Judaism, or any religion. It's the professionals who've made it into corporate business. There's big money in the god racket, big money.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Saw VI/Cirque du Freak/The Vampire's Assistant/Amelia (#1.33)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Desafinado

Totally agree... vintage Woody Allen

First, just so you know, I'm writing this review from France... but I'm from the U.S. That, so you don't disregard this as yet another Franco-Allen fan (they've exchanged their Jerry Lewis passion for Woody over here, and sanction everything he does).

Also, disclaimer: I really like and respect Woody Allen's work and I'm also an ex New Yorker. With a Jewish wife, no less. So no, okay, I'm not unbiased.

All that said... I fully agree with "boyden" in that this movie is far better than the reviews it gets from critics. On rottentomatoes.com, for instance, this garnered a 45% rating. That's on par with non-hits like "Gigli" etc.

Yet, the dialogue was great... Larry David was as close to a Woody Allen substitute as anyone has come in a long time (Allen always casts people he can direct to sound like him, it seems)... and it made me crave that old New York, before the money of the recent pre-bust boom turned it into a homogenized has-been of a city.

Evan Rachel Wood, by the way, was overwhelmingly charming. And I thought all the other acting was excellent too, in the way people act in Woody Allen movies... which is ALWAYS different from what it is in other films (you occasionally get those moments where the lines are crafted or improvised rather than somewhere in the middle).

At any rate, it's amazing the size of the disconnect between fan response and the response of the critics... who, in my opinion, should go watch Annie Hall and Sleeper and the like so they can remember again.