Actually, all three films are reworkings of the same themes, and one of the key differences between them is their denouements. Crimes and Misdemeanors ends with the killer coming to terms with his crime and getting away scot-free. He realizes that he can't be linked to the murder and he chooses to not dwell on it any longer. Match Point's killer gets away because the crime was attributed to another criminal, though he remains guilt-ridden. The brothers in Cassandra's Dream are doomed from the start, as you pointed out, and they end up dead, unlike the killers in the other films. Judah Rosenthal gets away with his crime because he believes his actions were morally justified. The killer in Match Point gets away by mere chance, while the brothers in Cassandra's Dream are ruined by guilt and fate. Also, originality is overrated.



I thought the music was too obtrusive, though I agree the acting was quite good.



They were both strapped for cash, and, considering how selfish and immature they are, it's definitely conceivable that they would go through with the deed.

If the film has any major demerits preventing it from reaching true greatness, predictability may be it; however, you'd be wrong to ignore all the many brilliant moments this film offers. The screenplay is undeniably a great one, and what's more amazing is how quickly and fluidly it moves along; it's truly a marvel of poetic brevity. While certainly derivative, in the end, it sets itself apart as a unique work of art - one that is deeply in need of recognition. I'd rank it as one of his 10 best films, and his best film overall in 20 years.

leaving the bolded part aside, I totally agree

He establishes character traits within minutes and wastes no scenes in the film. The opening scenes showing the brothers as carefree and naive have poetic resonance that would be lost in the hands of a lesser director. In fact, the film's pacing allows it to sustain tension throughout, even if one is already aware of the direction it's going. Upon closer inspection, even the "little" scenes have reason for existing beyond merely pushing the plot forward, and such details are lost when the viewer is incapable of spotting them. That so many critics panned this film while praising the far more polished Match Point as a "return to form" should tell you something about the state of art criticism today.



What would you say his best film from that period is?

Also, it's Hugh Jackman, not Hugh Grant.

This post was edited by Individuality on Mar 24 2012 09:23am

I think Whatever Works is the one I enjoyed the most from that period. I also wouldn't rate Cassandra's Dream above Scoop, which I believe is pretty underrated , imo both of these are at the same level. The rest of his movies from the last two decades are below these 3 imo, although I've only seen about 3/4 of his work during these last 20 years.

This post was edited by zarkadon on Mar 24 2012 09:45am

I think Whatever Works is a good, solid flick that really takes a turn for the worst when Melody's parents show up. The characters are all too stereotypical for it to have any grand implications, and it falls prey to too many cliches in the second half. Larry David is quite good in his role, but the acting as a whole is hit and miss. Overall, I'd consider it one of his funniest films, but artistically, it's third tier Allen at best.

Scoop is a good piece of fluff, and a film I enjoy very much, but it lacks the depth of films like Match Point and Sweet and Lowdown. The performances are uniformly good here.

Personally, I would rank Manhattan Murder Mystery, Celebrity, Sweet and Lowdown, Match Point and Cassandra's Dream as his best works of the last 20 years. Mighty Aphrodite, Everyone Says I Love You, Small Time Crooks, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, Hollywood Ending, Anything Else and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger occupy the lower tier, while everything else ranges from solid to good.

This post was edited by Individuality on Mar 24 2012 10:31am

tl:dr

hmmm, I see what you mean; films can be enjoyable but lack artistic value. I really enjoyed Whatever Works because I love it when Woody Allen goes philosophical/satirical. I think it's his best philosphical/satirical films of the last 2 decades (but like I said, I haven't seen them all... out of the ones you listed I havent seen Manhattan Murder Mystery or Sweet And Lowdown), but artisticaly Match Point and Cassandra's Dream ae superior.