Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Woody Allen is one of those filmmakers known for having a large body of work, yet is largely only appreciated for a certain segment of it. With Woody, interestingly, there is not one universal segment of his films that people appreciate. Few will deny the masterpieces most often attributed to him, Annie Hall or Manhattan, for instance, but there are many camps of Woody Allen appreciation. One such camp proclaims Woody's earlier films were best. Another section of Woody Allen fandom declares his comedies are best, while yet another camp asserts that his serious films are superior. In a way, this speaks to Woody's prowess as a filmmaker, that he can impact so many audiences with such different portions of his filmography. What I'm here to advise against, however, is being overly dismissive of Woody's "lower tier" work. My theory, however, persists that Woody Allen is a filmmaker that doesn't get adequate credit for his body of work as a whole. Maybe Woody's problem of having about a dozen widely recognized classics to his name that many of his equally impressive work is overlooked is one I should be less sympathetic towards; I just can't help myself from donning the armor of Woody Allen defense at least one more time. Manhattan Murder Mystery, the 1993 installment of Woody's film-a-year output is simply sensational. There is as much artistically going on here as in Crimes and Misdemeanors, and dialogue as sharp as that in Hannah and Her Sisters. Starring, in my opinion, Woody's best screen partner Diane Keaton, as well as another pair of repeat co-stars, Alan Alda and Anjelica Huston, Manhattan Murder Mystery is a zesty look at the lives of a middle aged couple who suddenly become convinced that a neighbor in their New York City apartment building has murdered his wife. Manhattan Murder Mystery is so much more than a "silly plot" in a "throw away" Woody Allen film, but rather, another brilliant attempt at decoding the human condition we are all born into by one of America's best filmmakers.Larry Lipton (Woody Allen) and Carol Lipton (Diane Keaton) are a middle-aged couple in New York, tasked with the ever familiar plight of learning each other once again after becoming empty-nesters. Their lives together are seemingly happy; they attend operas, basketball games, and have in-depth conversations. Despite the appearance of happiness, there is an air of listlessness in their relationship. One evening, after returning home to their New York apartment from the night's events, Larry and Carol meet a couple that lives a few doors down from them, Paul House (Jerry Adler) and Lillian House (Lynn Cohen), and are invited in for a drink. Larry is more than happy to maintain a distance, but Carol is looking for a way to spice up her humdrum daily life and jumps at the chance to meet new people. Larry can't wait to leave despite Carol enjoying the visit and when the couple finally retires to their apartment they agree that their neighbors seem nice and may see them again, that is, until Lillian drops dead of a coronary the very next day. Fresh from a screening of Double Indemnity, Carol begins to suspect that her neighbor Paul actually murdered his wife. Larry thinks Carol's suspicion is off- base, leaving her to investigate her concerns with their recently divorced friend Ted (Alan Alda). The adventurous duo leaves Larry willfully behind as he believes his neighbor's innocence and simultaneously thinks such investigative matters should be left to the police. As Ted and Carol spend more time together, Larry begins to think that Ted's willingness to go along with Carol's escapades is due to a physical attraction he has for her, leaving Larry to decide if he should bring himself into the probe in order to save his marriage. As the impromptu case furthers, more evidence is acquired bringing even the most skeptical Larry to nebbishy go along with his wife's pursuit.I'm convinced Woody Allen doesn't get enough credit for how truly diverse his film career is. The notion that all of his films are the same is one that I simply find no merit to. Sure, Woody's work is revelatory and personal so there may often be a "Woody Allen character" in his films, but I will never fault an artist for putting too much of themselves into their art. As evidenced by the title, this film is essentially a murder mystery plot-driven film with ample introspection and plenty of tackling of life's biggest questions. I truly appreciate how varied Woody's career has been and his ardent pursuit to expand his art to fill almost every niche in the medium. From a film I had often heard referred to as a silly blip in Woody's filmography, I was delightfully surprised to find one of my favorite Woody Allen works. I want to believe this is Alvy Singer and Annie Hall, 15 years after we first met them and that they have enjoyed a happy and full marital existence. I don't simply choose to believe that because the main principal actors are the same, but rather because the script is excellent with dialogue that so purely captures the essence of a long-term marriage. Life isn't all sunshine and roses for the couple, they often quibble and disagree but one can see that the base of their relationship is love. There truly isn't anything I love filmed more than a realistic relationship, and that is exactly what one can expect in Manhattan Murder Mystery. Hopefully, you don't find yourself staking out a suspected murderer on date night often, but I do hope you have a relationship with ample love and acceptance and just enough rationale like the one Larry and Carol share. Who would have thought Woody Allen, the director who explores infidelity so often in his films, would give me such a loving authentic screen couple I can aspire towards.

Is this the Annie Hall we might have gotten in an alternate universe? What might Allen's career trajectory have looked like if he had not made that romantic comedy that went on to beat Star Wars for Best Picture? It seems frightful to think of, but thankfully in this universe we have both Annie Hall and the initial premise of a murder mystery, which we find in this film. Manhattan Murder Mystery, like so many of Allen's film from his middle period, is set up with the typically Allen type. Anyone familiar with his work will also be familiar with this character - the self-loathing and depreciating Jew, who also ironically shows flashes of supreme confidence in his comedic lapses. The Allen type is known for frequently deflecting serious situations with his own brand of humour. This is at first endearing for his romantic counterparts, and then later insufferably. Here we have the couple just over the hill of middle age, and that annoyance has started to step in for Keaton's Carol Lipton.Although Allen started off as a comedian and much of his comedy is written and spoken (often from his own mouth) he has over the years developed a knack for the visual and dramatic staging. The Allen type is prime for subtext told through body language; see how Larry hovers around in the background like a squashed bug whilst Carol the chatterbox takes centre stage in the frame. The film also has a noticeable jerkiness about it that Allen developed from Husbands and Wives - perhaps this is a deliberate and conscious effort from Allen to depart from that clean-cut, Jazz-filled, rigidly composed New York that he has graced the screen with for so many years. The city of this particular film is one where murder just lies around the corner, after all. Larry of course can't resist: "Well, New York is a melting pot. You know, get used to it." he quips. So it is nowhere near the hard-boiled version of New York, although we do see that smoky, flashing red-light and eerie port briefly. But Allen does not ever seem like letting go of his roots, and this slightly impedes the film as it sways back and forth from the two genres. The plot is detective mystery but also tries to serve as an examination of the Lipton's rocky marriage. As one takes centre stage the other is punted to the sidelines and made to suffer. In the end, their marital problems boil down to little more than bickering that is solved with a bit of excitement from a murder investigation. It's enjoyable and funny enough, although it really makes me want to see Allen's take on the cosy detective story. You know, the country house setting, the bluebird, the sweet mystery.

This is one of Woody Allen's later comedies that I enjoy much more than his earlier, more highly acclaimed "Annie Hall." For one thing, "Manhattan Murder Mystery" has plot. Lots of it. But it's too drawn out toward the end. Tighter directing and editing jobs would easily raise this film another notch. The cast and their performances are all good. And, for once, Woody Allen's role (as Larry Lipton) doesn't grate on the nerves. He's still the whining, complaining persona, but toned down quite a lot. The script is much better with some very witty and funny lines that diminish the unnerving aspect of his character. So, I enjoyed this film much more, and had a number of good laughs. The humor is mostly in the dialog. Along with Woody and his usual female lead, Diane Keaton (as wife, Carol), this film has some nice cast additions in Alan Alda as Ted, Anjelica Huston as Marcia and others. Here's a sample of some funny lines from the film. Larry says to Carol, "I can't listen to that much Wagner, you know. I start to get the urge to conquer Poland."Ted, in the conversation at dinner on a group night out "This would be a really great way to kill somebody. You clog their arteries with whipped cream ... chocolate mousse ... butter. They go like that." Joy Behar, as Marilyn, adds, "I'd like to French-pastry myself to death right now."Larry, on retiring for the night with Carol, "Remind me tomorrow to buy up all the Wagner records in town … and rent a chain saw."Carol, "Larry, he had her cremated." Larry, "How do you know it was her? Did the ashes resemble Mrs. House?"Carol, "I don't know why you're not more fascinated with this. I mean, we could be living next door to a murderer, Larry." Larry, "Well, New York is a melting pot. I'm used to it."Larry, "Yes, I know I'm a bore because I don't break the law. You know, I live within the Constitution, so I'm dull."Ted, "I'm gonna be late for my shrink."Larry, walking with Carol down the hall of a residence hotel, "Very nice. I love a hotel that's got lots blue powder sprinkled along the baseboards."Larry to Carol, "You don't have to see your shrink. There's nothing wrong with you that can't be cured with a little Prozac and a polo mallet."Incidentally, 1993 was a truly great year for films with much competition for awards. So, this Woody Allen film didn't receive any awards or a single nomination. But that's nothing to detract from the film in a year that saw such great ones as "Schindler's List," "In the Name of the Father," "The Remains of the Day," "Philadelphia," "What's Love Got to Do with It," "Shadowlands," "The Fugitive," "The Age of Innocence;" and a host of other very good movies. Had "Annie Hall," half of this competition in 1977, I doubt it would have won a single Oscar. But, if "Manhattan Murder Mystery" had been up in the same year as "Annie Hall," I think it would have beat "Annie" out in awards. As several other reviewers noted, when comparing them side by side, "Manhattan" is by far a funnier and more entertaining movie.

Review: Haven't these people got anything interesting going on in there lives why they have to be spending all there time working out if there is a killer living in there building? Anyway, I enjoyed this old school murder mystery which is a bit far fetched in parts but you still want to find out if the neighbour is a murderer. It's good to see Woody Allen make a film which has nothing to do with relationships, although he does questioned Diane Keaton about her feelings for his friend half of the time. It's amazing how Allen doesn't really show any interest in the whole conspiracy until Keaton pairs up with Alda to unravel the clues, but that's what made the movie funny. When Huston gets introduced to Alda, she cleverly pieces the whole thing together which brings to light, the true crime that took place. Anyway, it's great writing by Allen and light hearted fun. Watchable!Round-Up: I much prefer the toned down version of Woody Allen to his usual million words per minute movies because you actually have a chance to get his jokes. The chemistry between the whole cast really does work and Anjelica Huston was a great addition to the crime busting pack of misfits. Although the movie came out in 1993, it's still watchable today and the storyline does get a little out of hand near the end but it's still enjoyable.Budget: $13.5million Worldwide Gross: $11millionI recommend this movie to people who are into there Woody Allen detective dramas, about a couple who try and work out if there neighbour is a murderer. 5/10