Woody Allen returns to New York after four films shot in Europe and it's like he never left, not entirely a good thing. "Whatever Works," 

based on an Allen script from decades ago, has Catskills standup- inspired humor, slapstick gags and a neurotic Manhattan protagonist, all comfy staples of his long-ago comedies (For those keeping track, "Whatever Works is Allen's 39th feature). While "Whatever Works" is not a standout Allen comedy by a long shot and claims half the spark of his previous feature, the wonderful "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," it does offer plenty of laughs, a pitch-perfect performance from comedian Larry David and a standout supporting role from Patricia Clarkson, an actress who too rarely receives the chance to showcase her talent for comedy.

 

Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David), a physicist who almost won a Noble Prize, leaves behind his wife and affluent Upper Eastside lifestyle after a failed suicide attempt and moves to the Lower Eastside to live more modestly as a chess instructor to children. His grouchy ways slightly change when a pretty Southern runaway named Melody (Evan Rachel Wood), two-thirds younger, no less, moves into his apartment. Slowly and surprisingly, Boris and Melody make a life together until her mother Marietta (Patricia Clarkson) arrives intent on staying.

 

Seldom has a male performance, other than Allen himself, been such a perfect fit in a Woody Allen movie but David syncs perfectly with Allen's writing and personality. “Seinfeld” co-creator, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star and a Brooklyn comic just like Allen, David is witty enough to make us forgive the film’s slightly stale gags.

 

Pretty Evan Rachel Wood makes good use of her drawl; she’s a native of North Carolina after all, and channels the fantastic Judy Holliday for a worthy addition to the comic legacy of the dumb but kind- hearted blonde.

 

Ed Begley, Jr. makes the most of his brief scenes as Melinda’s sexually confused father and Patricia Clarkson brings a comic boost to the film's second half as Melinda’s meddling mother.

 

“Whatever Works” (something of a catchphrase for the cynical Boris) is a NY homecoming for Allen. While he fails to match the perfect balance of romance and comedy in his best NY stories, “Annie Hall,” 

“Manhattan” and “Hannah and Her Sisters,” there’s a thread of sweetness running throughout “Whatever Works’” sight gags and Catskills-influenced humor. For Melody, her mother and her father, NY remains a city that draws people of all stripes and allows them to find themselves and make new lives for themselves, lives they would never have back home.

 

It’s a warm sentiment and a welcome surprise coming from a film centered on a pessimistic codger.

 

Grade: 3 out of 5 Stars

 

Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics

Cast: Larry David, Ed Begley, Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Evan Rachel Wood, Michael McKean

Director: Woody Allen

Screenwriter: Woody Allen

Producers: Wild Bunch/Gravier Prods and Perdido Running time: 92 minutes

Rating: Rated PG-13