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Deconstructing Harry

  • 19971997
  • RR
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
45K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Woody Allen, Demi Moore, Elisabeth Shue, Robin Williams, Kirstie Alley, Billy Crystal, Mariel Hemingway, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Richard Benjamin, Judy Davis, Amy Irving, Tobey Maguire, and Stanley Tucci in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
Trailer
Play trailer0:29
1 Video
69 Photos
  • Comedy
Suffering from writer's block and eagerly awaiting his writing award, Harry Block remembers events from his past and scenes from his best-selling books as characters, real and fictional, com... Read allSuffering from writer's block and eagerly awaiting his writing award, Harry Block remembers events from his past and scenes from his best-selling books as characters, real and fictional, come back to haunt him.Suffering from writer's block and eagerly awaiting his writing award, Harry Block remembers events from his past and scenes from his best-selling books as characters, real and fictional, come back to haunt him.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
45K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Woody Allen
  • Writer
    • Woody Allen
  • Stars
    • Woody Allen
    • Judy Davis
    • Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Top credits
  • Director
    • Woody Allen
  • Writer
    • Woody Allen
  • Stars
    • Woody Allen
    • Judy Davis
    • Julia Louis-Dreyfus
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 142User reviews
    • 73Critic reviews
    • 61Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 4 wins & 7 nominations total

    Videos1

    Deconstructing Harry
    Trailer 0:29
    Deconstructing Harry

    Photos69

    Woody Allen and Robin Williams in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Woody Allen and Kirstie Alley in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Hazelle Goodman in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Woody Allen, Mariel Hemingway, and Eric Lloyd in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Robin Williams and Julie Kavner in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Demi Moore and Stanley Tucci in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Tobey Maguire in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Woody Allen, Elisabeth Shue, and Billy Crystal in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn at an event for Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn at an event for Deconstructing Harry (1997)
    Kirstie Alley and James Wilder at an event for Deconstructing Harry (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Woody Allen
    Woody Allen
    • Harry Blockas Harry Block
    Judy Davis
    Judy Davis
    • Lucyas Lucy
    Julia Louis-Dreyfus
    Julia Louis-Dreyfus
    • Leslieas Leslie
    Stephanie Roth Haberle
    Stephanie Roth Haberle
    • Janetas Janet
    Dan Frazer
    Dan Frazer
    • Janet's Dadas Janet's Dad
    Joel Leffert
    • Normanas Norman
    Lynn Cohen
    Lynn Cohen
    • Janet's Momas Janet's Mom
    Richard Benjamin
    Richard Benjamin
    • Kenas Ken
    Joe Buck
    Joe Buck
    • Yankee Announceras Yankee Announcer
    • (voice)
    Jane Hoffman
    • Grandmaas Grandma
    Tobey Maguire
    Tobey Maguire
    • Harvey Sternas Harvey Stern
    Annette Arnold
    Annette Arnold
    • Rosaleeas Rosalee
    Frederick Rolf
    • Harvey's Doctoras Harvey's Doctor
    Elisabeth Kieselstein-Cord
    Elisabeth Kieselstein-Cord
    • Rosalee's Sisteras Rosalee's Sister
    Lortensia Hayes
    • Jenniferas Jennifer
    Alicia Meer
    • Woman in Shoestoreas Woman in Shoestore
    Victoria Hale
    Victoria Hale
    • Woman in Shoestoreas Woman in Shoestore
    Irving Metzman
    • Shoe Salesmanas Shoe Salesman
    • Director
      • Woody Allen
    • Writer
      • Woody Allen
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Albert Brooks was the last actor to be offered the role of Harry. In an interview with Playboy magazine, he stated that he received a nice letter from Woody Allen offering him the role. Brooks responded, "It was insane that Allen didn't do it himself." Apparently, Woody took his advice.
    • Goofs
      In Harry's line "I once almost ran over a book critic..." the word "book" doesn't match his lips; "book" is dubbed over what looks to be "film."
    • Quotes

      Harry Block: Tradition is the illusion of permanence.

      Doris: You have no values. Your whole life: it's nihilism, it's cynicism, it's sarcasm and orgasm.

      Harry Block: You know, in France, I could run on that slogan and win.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Wag the Dog/Home Alone 3/For Richer or Poorer/Deconstructing Harry/Scream 2 (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Twisted
      (1952)

      Music by Wardell Gray

      Lyrics by Annie Ross

      Performed by Annie Ross

      Courtesy of Fantasy, Inc.

    User reviews142

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Allen at his best
    Regardless of what Woody Allen may do in real life, he surely shines through his films. Just like the main character in this film who can't seem to get personal matters resolved, Allen faces the same predicament each day. He lets his films do the talking and stays away from the limelight. Deconstructing Harry does him justice in a few sequences as to what he feels and how the media treats him.

    This film showcases some of Allen's better quirks when it comes to storywriting and directing. The much used "jump cut" effect helps to create a world that is disjointed from all else. When things are going fine, there are no jump cuts. However when things are less than opportune jump cuts add confusion to the scene and are used more often as the tension increases. The "out of focus" effect is the first of its kind and is very funny. The Robin Williams cameo didn't have much meaning, but his scene was one of the funniest due to him losing his touch. The same effect is used on Allen himself later in the film in another hillarious scene.

    The storyline has many layers and isn't at all confusing (as others may have you believe) to the viewer. The use of actors portraying actors in this film is pure Allen genius and is another way that this film differs itself from the crowd. It is not so much that one follows along to see what happens to Harry, but rather to see what is going to happen next. When Allen needs an entourage to go to his alma mater honouring, he ends up taking a very unlikely group. The humour is at times crude and pokes fun at his usual groups (ie - ultraorthodox jews, hookers, WASP's and just about everyone else).

    Allen uses his interesting techniques and smart plot to make this such a good film. One can only wonder how he always gets the foxes. At least he got Billy Crystal to play the devil. How fitting.

    8/10 stars.
    helpful•50
    9
    • Primtime
    • Aug 22, 1999

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 2, 1998 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Fine Line Features
    • Languages
      • English
      • Hebrew
    • Also known as
      • The Meanest Man in the World
    • Filming locations
      • Drew University - 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, New Jersey, USA
    • Production companies
      • Sweetland Films
      • Jean Doumanian Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $10,686,841
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $356,476
      • Dec 14, 1997
    • Gross worldwide
      • $10,686,841
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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    Woody Allen, Demi Moore, Elisabeth Shue, Robin Williams, Kirstie Alley, Billy Crystal, Mariel Hemingway, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Richard Benjamin, Judy Davis, Amy Irving, Tobey Maguire, and Stanley Tucci in Deconstructing Harry (1997)
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    By what name was Deconstructing Harry (1997) officially released in India in English?
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