CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS
A film review by Marc Rossner
Copyright 1989 Marc Rossner
I have seen the movie of the year and it is Woody Allen's CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS (previously it was HEATHERS followed by DO THE RIGHT THING, to give an idea of where I'm coming from).
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS is quite unlike any Woody Allen movie that has preceded it -- it combines highly dramatic, philosophical, and religious issues while retaining some of the sarcastic humor that we would expect. The plot structure would suggest that the movie be retitled "Brothers and Sisters". Although there is no "star" in this ensemble piece, the main plot elements and issues revolve around opthamologist Judah Rosenthal, played by Martin Landau. Judah's brother is Jack, a slimy underworld figure (Jerry Orbach), and his good friend is Ben, a patient and a rabbi (Sam Waterston). Ben has a brother named Lester (Alan Alda), an unctuous TV sitcom mogul, and a sister who is married to Clifford Stern, the Woody Allen character. Cliff has his own sister who is divorced with a teenage daughter that Cliff takes under his wing. Not part of these families but involved romantically with them are Dolores (Anjelica Huston) and Hallie (Mia Farrow, of course in there somewhere). This all sounds very complicated but it is in fact quite easy to follow all these relationships.
The plot, not to give any spoilers, revolves around the enormous ethical and religious dilemmas suffered by Judah (Landau). These "crimes" are mirrored by smaller crises in the life and work of Cliff (Woody), and also in the old movies to which he is addicted.
I found no flaw in the performances. Alan Alda inherits what might be considered the "Tony Roberts role" but he convinced me that his was better suited for it than Roberts would be -- modifying his sleaziness and pomposity with just the right amount of generosity to prevent him from being totally detestable. Martin Landau is low-key but extremely effective in getting the audience's empathy (my only complaint is that it seemed unrealistic that the character he portrayed would make some of the choices he did). Sam Waterston does a fine job in making a "saintly" character sympathetic to the audience. Woody is Woody (although looking much older now), and the other actors are all excellent in smaller roles.
Here then is a Woody Allen movie which brings the audience into the lives of the characters and provokes much thought without being painfully Bergman-esque. +4 -- worth seeing again at premium prices.
Marc D. Rossner (att!speedy!marc or marc@speedy.att.com) AT&T BL -- Red Hill
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