The Substance (2024 film)

 

Written, directed, and co-edited by Coralie Fargeat, The Substance is the story of a former Hollywood film star who turns 50 as her career starts to fade until she goes to the black market to get a drug that will make her a younger version of herself. The film is an exploration of aging and body image where a woman deals with a fading career as an aerobics instructor on TV where she takes a drug to become a different person only for things to go wrong. Starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid. The Substance is a monstrous and exhilarating film by Coralie Fargeat.

The film revolves around a former Hollywood starlet whose aerobics TV show is abruptly cancelled as she had turned 50 where she is given a mysterious flash drive about a black-market drug known as the Substance that would allow her to become a younger and better version of herself but with some rules. It is a film that explores many themes including aging, body imagery, and the male gaze towards the women they exploit. Coralie Fargeat’s screenplay does have a straightforward narrative where it explores the world of Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) as she was this celebrated figure with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that has been treated with indifference despite the popularity of her aerobics show. Its cancellation is abrupt because she just turned 50 as its producer Harvey (Dennis Quaid) made the decision in the hopes he can get someone younger to drive up ratings. After a car accident, a nurse (Robin Greer) gives Sparkle a flash drive about this drug known as the Substance where she is intrigued by it while also following its specific instructions.

Upon using the Substance, its activator can only be used once where Sparkle’s body becomes unconscious while her new body in Sue (Margaret Qualley) can be conscious but only for seven days as they would have to switch places with no exceptions with balance being key to its success. Sue would get the attention of Harvey following an audition as she would get her own fitness show where ratings go through the roof as she would crave more fame and fortune. Thus, she would break the rules of using the substance which would cause parts of Sparkle’s body to age rapidly. Fargeat’s script doesn’t have a lot of dialogue throughout the film other than moments where events in the second and third act where Sparkle starts to mentally unravel over her physical state as she becomes resentful towards Sue for breaking the balance of their usage of the Substance. For Sue, she becomes annoyed with Sparkle’s own behavior antics that threatens her career as things start to get out of control.

Fargeat’s direction is stylish in every sense of the word in how the film opens with the Substance serum injected into an egg that splits into two and then cuts to Sparkle getting a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Shot on various locations in France with Cote d’Azur being the exterior double for Los Angeles and interiors shot in studios in Paris. Fargeat creates a film that is set in a hyperactive world where it is about giant billboards, flashing cameras, how many people are seeing you, and everything that comes with fame. Fargeat emphasizes on extreme close-ups and medium shots to play into this manic world of celebrity culture as well as the fact that women are often exploited for reasons beyond their control. Fargeat doesn’t hold back when it comes to the male gaze in scenes where Sue is hosting her show with a lot of close-ups of her ass and cleavage being a key part where sex sells. While Sparkle is a beautiful woman for her age, she is not what Harvey wants where there are scenes of her fully-naked where the flaws of her body come into play as it play into Sparkle’s desire to use the Substance. There are wide shots to play into the growing sense of disconnect that happens for Sparkle as she tries to distance herself from Sue.

Editing with Jerome Eltabet and Valentin Feron, Fargeat emphasize on different editing styles such as the overly-stylized fast-cutting common with Hollywood films to play into the chaotic world of celebrity culture. Yet, Fargeat would know when to slow things down as it relates to Sparkle’s own declining physical and mental state where she would also use tracking shots for both her and Sue walking down the hall towards the bathroom. Even as the camera would show them walking from their point of view where it is presented in a hand-held style as if both women would get sick during their time in using the Substance. The second half is where the body horror comes as it doesn’t just play into Sue’s disregard for the rules of using the Substance but its effect on Sparkle where parts of her body would age. Even as there is a moment where Sparkle’s own abuse of her own body would start to affect Sue in a scene where she finds something in her body as it plays into this conflict between the two women.

The film’s third act is where the body horror is intensified as it plays into the fallacies of beauty and fame with Sparkle wanting to end it all just as Sue is about to host a big New Year’s Eve special on TV. What would happen afterward would play into the desperation of wanting to be beautiful and the eventual result is shocking. Shocking would be an understatement to describe the film’s climax as it goes beyond the parameters expected in body horror where Fargeat goes all out and then some. Overall, Fargeat crafts a horrifying and provocative film about an aging starlet taking a mysterious substance where she creates a young woman who shares her consciousness.

Cinematographer Benjamin Kracun does brilliant work with the film’s vibrant and colorful cinematography for many of the daytime interior/exterior scenes as well as the scenes in the bathroom along with some stylish lighting for the interior/exterior scenes at night. Production designer Stanislas Reydellet, along with supervising art director Gladys Garot plus set decorators Cecilia Blom, Marion De Villechabrolle, and construction manager Jacques Oursin, does amazing work with the look of the condo that Sparkle lives in as well as the studio hallway where Sue would work at and the office that Harvey works at in all its awful grandeur. Costume designer Emmanuelle Youchnovski does excellent work with the costumes in the revealing fitness clothing that Sue wears for her show as well as the yellow coat that both women share. Special effects makeup designer Pierre Olivier Persin does phenomenal work with the makeup as it is the highlight of the film in the prosthetics breasts of Sue as well as the aging makeup for Sparkle due to the unbalanced effects of the Substance as it is a highlight of the film.

Special effects supervisors Pierre Hugueny and Jean Miel, along with visual effects supervisor Bryan Jones, do terrific work with the visual effects for some set-dressing in scenes outside of the condo as well as other visual elements that play into the horror of the film. Sound designers Valerie Deloof and Victor Fleurant do superb work with the sound in the way Harvey eats shrimp in the most disgusting of ways as well as some of the sparse sound textures in the film that play into the sense of horror and suspense. The film’s music by Benjamin Stefanski, in his Raffertie pseudonym, is incredible for its warbling electronic score that has elements of pulsating sounds and textures to play into Sue’s world but also some somber pieces that play into the horror and anguish that Sparkle goes through while music supervisor Guillaume Baurez creates a soundtrack that is filled with some electronic pieces from Holy Fuck with Lucia Tacchetti, Romanger, Earl Gregory, Thomas Kuralti, and a couple of score pieces by Richard Strauss and Bernard Herrmann.

The casting by Laure Cochener and Lea Moszkowicz is fantastic as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Vincent Colombe as one of Harvey’s executives, Yann Bean as the voice of the Substance, Hugo Diego Garcia as a lover of Sue that appears in the third act, Oscar Lesage as another lover of Sue who is a biker, Tom Morton as a doctor who examines Sparkle early in the film, Robin Greer as a young male nurse that would give Sparkle the flash drive for the Substance, Gore Abrams as a neighbor of Sue/Sparkle, Edward Hamilton Clark as a former classmate of Sparkle that she bumps into whom she almost goes on a date with, and Christian Ericksen as a mysterious old man Sparkle meets at a diner. Dennis Quaid is great as the TV producer Harvey as Quaid goes all out as a man who is the most despicable person in the world. A man that eats large shrimp in the most disgusting of ways that makes all the body horror seem tame in comparison while he is an absolute misogynistic asshole that anyone who comes across with would want to punch him in the face.

Margaret Qualley is phenomenal as Sue as the younger version of Sparkle that comes out of Sparkle’s body where Qualley displays a great sense of physicality into her performance as someone that is fit as well as being able to do the kind of fitness that a fitness model needs to do. There is also a complexity in her personality in the way she presents herself publicly as well as dealing with what Sparkle has done to herself, showcasing a dark edge that would be her own undoing. Finally, there’s Demi Moore in a performance for the ages as Elisabeth Sparkle as a former actress/TV fitness personality who had just turned 50 and lost her job as she copes with aging and not knowing what to do next. Moore brings a lot of wit to her performance once her character starts to age as there is a physicality and a dark edge into her performance where Moore goes all out and then some as it is really the performance of her career.

The Substance is an outstanding film by Coralie Fargeat that features a tremendous leading performance from Demi Moore as well as a great supporting performance from Margaret Qualley. Along with its study of aging, vibrant visuals, a hypnotic music soundtrack, discomforting sound effects, and the incredible special makeup effects that pushes the idea of what body horror could be. It is a film that doesn’t hold back in terms of its exploration of an industry that exploits women and the pressures to be beautiful as well as the effect on those who are forced to retire when they still have much to offer. In the end, The Substance is a magnificent film by Coralie Fargeat.

Revenge (2017 film)

© thevoid99 2024

Rough Night

Directed by Lucia Aniello and written by Aniello and Paul W. Downs, Rough Night is the story of a bachelorette party gone horrible wrong when a male stripper is accidentally killed leading to all sorts of mayhem for the five women trying to figure out what to do. The film is a comedy where five female friends celebrate the upcoming nuptials of one of their own where it all goes wrong during a crazy night in Miami. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Jillian Bell, Kate McKinnon, Zoe Kravitz, Ilana Glazer, Paul W. Downs, Ryan Cooper, Colton Haynes, Ty Burrell, and Demi Moore. Rough Night is a witty though flawed film from Lucia Aniello.

The film follows a bachelorette weekend in Miami where the celebration goes wrong due to the accidental killing of a male stripper as the five women in the party try to figure out what to do to the body and hilarity ensues during the course of the night. It’s a film with a simple premise that play into five ladies wanting to hang out and party in Miami where they panic over an accident and make things worse along the way. The film’s screenplay by Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs does explore the relationship between the women as the bride-to-be in Jess (Scarlett Johansson) is reluctant about having a bachelorette weekend as she is dealing with a campaign for senator as she has a hard time connecting with voters. Her best friend Alice (Jillian Bell) is organizing the bachelorette party as it would include their college friends in Frankie (Ilana Glazer) and Blair (Zoe Kravitz) plus a friend of Jess in Pippa (Kate McKinnon) whom Jess met during a semester in Australia.

While the script tries to juggle so much backstory of the characters as well as a subplot of Jess’ fiancé Peter (Paul W. Downs) driving to Miami high on pills after hearing Jess panic over what happened. It’s a moment that does feel forced despite a few funny moments as much of the story focuses on the women trying to figure out what to do the body of this stripper (Ryan Cooper) as well as the relationship between these women as Frankie and Blair used to be a couple while there’s some tension from Alice towards Pippa as the former is trying to get Jess’ attention as it play into her clinginess. Even as Pippa is just this outsider new to the group who would try to come up with ideas while dealing with jet lag.

Aniello’s direction is largely straightforward in terms of the compositions as it doesn’t really go for anything stylistic in the visuals rather than emphasize on the humor. Shot largely in Saddle Rock and Mount Vernon in the state of New York with some additional locations in Miami, Florida. Aniello would open the film with Jess, Alice, Frankie, and Blair at a frat party where they like to hang out with each other just to establish their friendship and then move the film 10 years later where Alice is a teacher, Frankie is an activist with two strikes on her, and Blair is a real-estates agent dealing with a divorce and a custody battle. Aniello’s approach to the humor is to build things up as well as play up into the conversations and antics of the characters which would lead to something big. Even as it involves Pippa who would put herself in dangerous situations for comical reasons where it works while there’s some parts as it relates to Peter as he’s trying to reach Jess by driving to Miami does lag a bit despite a few funny moments. Yet, the film’s climax which relates to not just the stripper’s identity but also some of the drama that goes on with the women who come to terms that their lives aren’t so great and that they’re growing up. All the reason for them to be together no matter how bad things are. Overall, Aniello crafts an entertaining though messy film about a bachelorette party gone wrong.

Cinematographer Sean Porter does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is colorful with much of the action taking place at night to play into the Miami nightlight and scenes at the beach. Editor Craig Alpert does nice work with the editing with its stylish approaches to montages and some rhythmic cut to play into the humor. Art director Ryan Heck and set decorator Carol Silverman do fantastic work with the look of the house Jess is loaned for the weekend as well as the home she lives in with Peter. Costume designer Leah Katznelson does terrific work with the costumes as it is largely casual with the stylized clothes the women wear during the bachelorette festivities.

Visual effects supervisor Karl Coyner does some fine work with the visual effects as it’s mainly set-dressing for a few scenes including Peter’s drive to Miami. Sound editor Kami Asgar does superb work with the sound in the way music sounds on location as well as the sound of the waves in the ocean. The film’s music by Dominic Lewis is wonderful for its low-key score that is playful with its usage of electronics and orchestral music for the suspense and drama with much of the film’s soundtrack featuring a mix of pop, hip-hop, EDM, and rock from acts like Wolfmother, Marilyn Manson, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, Skrillex, Cliff Martinez, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, J-Kwon, Khia, Neon Jungle, Divinyls, and Kate McKinnon singing a hilarious song during the credits.

The casting by Rori Bergman and Jeanne McCarthy is brilliant as it feature some notable small roles from Peter Francis Jack as Blair’s attorney uncle, Karan Soni as Jess’ assistant in her campaign, the quartet of Bo Burnham, Eric Andre, Hasan Minhaj, and Patrick Carlyle as Peter’s friends for their own bachelor party, Dean Winters and Enrique Murciano as a couple of detectives, Devin Ratray as a truck driver Peter meets on his way to Miami, Colton Haynes as a police officers who appears in the film’s second act, and Ryan Cooper as the male stripper who is accidentally killed. Ty Burrell and Demi Moore are fantastic in their respective roles as the couple Pietro and Lea as the neighbors who want to engage into a sexual fantasy with Blair that would become overwhelming for her. Paul W. Downs is alright as Jess’ fiancé Peter as a man who becomes fearful that he’s not good enough for Jess forcing him to drive to Miami while wearing adult diapers, drinking Red Bull, taking outdated prescription medicines, and later doing meth as it’s a mixed-bag of a performance where it’s funny but also forceful at times.

Ilana Glazer is excellent as Frankie as an activist who is trying to deal with the situation as she is aware that she has two strikes on her while dealing with her own feelings for Blair. Zoe Kravitz is brilliant as Blair as a real estate agent dealing with a divorce and custody battle who finds herself being the object of desire for the neighbors as she also is dealing with her own feelings for Frankie. Jillian Bell is amazing as Alice as Jess’ best friend from college who is the most excited about the bachelorette party while doing things that are funny to express her character’s loneliness and lack of excitement in her life. Kate McKinnon is incredible as Pippa as Jess’ Australian friend who is the funniest character in the film for providing some physical comedy as well as some witty commentary on the situations. Finally, there’s Scarlett Johansson in a remarkable performance as Jessica “Jess” Thayer as the bride who is dealing with a senatorial campaign and getting married as she deals with the chaos of an accidental murder where she provides some funny moments as well as being the reliable straight woman.

Rough Night is a stellar though flawed film from Lucia Aniello. Despite its messy script and tonal issues in the film, the film does feature an excellent cast and some funny moments that do provide enough moments that is entertaining with characters that are engaging. In the end, Rough Night is a very good film from Lucia Aniello.

© thevoid99 2018

Margin Call

Written and directed by J.C. Chandor, Margin Call is the story of a group of investment bank employees dealing with a financial collapse during the 2007-2008 financial crisis. The film explores the world of finances told by a group of people in the span of 36 hours as they all try to figure out how to get out of the crisis. Starring Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany, Mary McDonnell, and Stanley Tucci. Margin Call is a captivating ensemble drama from J.C. Chandor.

After laying off several workers including firm manager Eric Dale (Stanley Tucci), Dale asks one of his risk analyst Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto) to look over a report he had been trying to finish with a warning. Sullivan works late to look into Dale’s report where he makes a startling discovery as he calls junior risk analyst Seth Bregman (Penn Badgley) and trading desk head Will Emerson (Paul Bettany) about what he sees. They call their floor head Sam Rogers (Kevin Spacey) about the report as they realize that due to excessive marketing, the firm assets in mortgage-backed securities have decreased more than 25% as the firm is in danger of losing a whole lot more. Rogers asks Bregman and Emerson to locate Dale who has disappeared as they were unable to find him as the four men are called to a meeting.

They meet Rogers’ superior Jared Cohen (Simon Baker) and chief risk management officer Sarah Robertson (Demi Moore) to confirm Sullivan’s reports as Robertson realizes that everything Sullivan and Dale found is true. This would get the attention of the company’s CEO John Tuld (Jeremy Irons) who wants to know what is going on. After Sullivan reveals to Tuld what he found, Tuld decides to do some damage control as he looks for someone to put the blame on while getting his people to find Dale. After Cohen suggests something that would help the firm, Rogers believes that it’s only going to cause more trouble as he later asks his traders to make great sales with those making a 93% reduction in assets will get seven-figure bonuses while telling them what is going on. After the market closes, Rogers sees something that makes him uneasy as he’s forced to make a decision about his future.

The film is about 36 hours in the day of a market collapse that a risk analyst discovers as his bosses and executives try to see how to cut the losses and look for someone to blame. Meanwhile, a floor manager tries to assure his traders about what is to happen as they’re forced to look at something that is very ugly while they try to find the manager who was working on this report. When there’s people that confirms that the report is true and that trouble is brewing, top people try to see how to salvage their money in order to save face. Yet, there are those that is aware that something like this could’ve been prevented and there’s some good people who will be not just losing their jobs but also their reputations.

Characters like Sarah Robertson and Jared Cohen are people who kind of run the whole thing as Robertson is someone who knows more than what is going on. Cohen just wants to believe that nothing will go wrong as is CEO John Tuld who is hoping that something will work out. There’s no villains in a story like this but people who are just trying to keep the market going and just make money yet there are those who fall as the third act is about who to get rid of and who to keep. This would make Rogers uneasy as he doesn’t want to lose anybody as it eventually becomes too much for him.

J.C. Chandor’s direction is quite straightforward in terms of its visual presentation and the way he frames his actors in a scene. Yet, he does manage to create compelling moments that does drive the drama. Even in the meetings that take place as there’s a lot of tension as Chandor has his camera focused on one or more characters to establish what is being discussed. The camera definitely has a sense of claustrophobia that is felt as things are becoming more uncomfortable as the film progresses. Overall, Chandor creates a very engaging and smart drama that explores the world of finances and market collapses.

Cinematographer Frank DeMarco does nice work with the photography to capture the lights of the computers and lights inside the offices at night as well as some of the nighttime exteriors of the city. Editor Pete Deaubreau does terrific work with the editing by creating fast-forwards on some of the film‘s city shots as well as montages for the film‘s fire-sale trading scenes in the third act. Production designer John Paino and set decorator Robert Covelman do brilliant work with the look of the offices and meeting rooms where the characters meet to have their discussions where it looks like a place of immense importance.

Costume designer Caroline Duncan does very good work with the costumes as a lot of it are suits that many of the male characters along with the suit that Sarah Robertson wears. Sound supervisor Damian Volpe does some fine work with the sound to capture the intimacy of the meetings as well as the raucous nature of the city. The film’s music by Nathan Larson is excellent for its chilling, ambient-driven score to play out the drama that unfolds throughout the film.

The casting by Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Tesley is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some small appearances from Mary McDonnell as Sam’s ex-wife Mary and Aasif Mandvi as an executive who works with Robertson and Cohen. Stanley Tucci is wonderful as manager Eric Dale who deals with being fired as well as making a warning to Sullivan about what was about to discover. Demi Moore is excellent as management officer Sarah Robertson who reveals to know more about what is happening as she realizes that everything Sullivan has confirmed is true. Simon Baker is terrific as division head Jared Cohen who tries to deal with Rogers’ feelings as well as the trouble that is happening as he makes a drastic suggestion. Jeremy Irons is great as the CEO John Tuld who is looking for a solution to deal with the matter as he turns to Sullivan and Rogers for what is being faced while being upfront about what he will do.

Penn Badgley is very good as the idealistic Seth Bregman who adores his job as he realizes the impact of the financial crisis will be as he later faces the possibility of something much harsher. Paul Bettany is superb as the more hardened Will Emerson who provides a lot of insight into the world while realizing that what he’s facing is far worse than he realizes. Zachary Quinto is amazing as Peter Sullivan who makes the discovery that would unveil the financial collapse as he comes to terms with the reality of what is happening as well as the fact that things will get worse. Finally, there’s Kevin Spacey in a marvelous performance as floor head Sam Rogers who tries to deal with the crisis while becoming morally troubled by what his superiors are doing as he is forced to do things that he didn’t want to do as it’s one of Spacey’s finest performances.

Margin Call is a unique yet compelling drama from J.C. Chandor that features an incredible ensemble cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany, Penn Badgley, Demi Moore, Simon Baker, and Stanley Tucci. While it’s a film that is about a world that not many people know about, it does create a very fascinating study on the world of the financial market and how things can fall apart where people would make drastic decisions that would be questionable. In the end, Margin Call is an extraordinary film from J.C. Chandor.

J.C. Chandor Films: All is Lost - A Most Violent Year - (Trile Frontier) - (Kraven the Hunter) - (The Auteurs #73: J.C. Chandor)

© thevoid99 2012

Deconstructing Harry

Originally Written and Directed at Epinions.com on 12/26/05 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Written, directed, and starring Woody Allen as Harry Block, the film is about a writer whose self-absorbed working lifestyle and attitude practically alienates everyone around him. Now dealing with writer's block, he's also dealing with the mess of his relationships while trying to make amends with an ex-girlfriend who is going to get married. Then when he's about to be honored by a school, who threw him out in his freshman year, for his writing, all hell breaks loose in his intentions as the stories he based on his life comes back to haunt him. With an ensemble cast that includes Allen regulars Julie Kavner, Judy Davis, Caroline Aaron, Julia-Louis Dreyfus, and Mariel Hemingway plus Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Kirstie Alley, Bob Balaban, Amy Irving, Eric Bogosian, Elisabeth Shue, Tobey McGuire, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci, Richard Benjamin, Eric Lloyd, Paul Giamatti, Jennifer Garner, and Hazelle Goodman. Deconstructing Harry is a fun but abrasive film from the often charming and funny Woody Allen.

Harry Block is writing various stories that was inspired by his own affair with a former in-law in Lucy (Judy Davis) about a man named Ken (Richard Benjamin) who has sex with his sister-in-law Leslie (Julia-Louis Dreyfus) at a barbeque. Harry tells the angry Lucy another story about a young named Harvey (Tobey McGuire) who pretends to be someone else where he meets the Grim Reaper. Yet it's among the many small stories Harry comes up with that includes a literally out-of-focused actor (Robin Williams) and one about a couple (Stanley Tucci and Demi Moore) that is based on his second marriage to psychiatrist Joan (Kirstie Alley). Still, he tells his current shrink (Robert Harper) about his writer's block as he learns he's to be honored by Adair University that kicked out him out during his freshman year.

Harry wants to take his son Hilly (Eric Lloyd) despite Joan's refusal while learns that his most recent girlfriend Fay (Elisabeth Shue) is getting married to his friend Larry (Billy Crystal). After calling for the services of a hooker named Cookie (Hazelle Goodman), he asks her to join him for the awards ceremony as he also takes his fearful friend Richard (Bob Balaban) and Hilly for a road trip to Adair University. During the trip, Harry's fictional life starts to emerge to him as he stops to visit his half-sister Doris (Caroline Aaron) and her husband/rabbi Burt (Eric Bogosian) where the visit doesn't go well due to a story inspired by Harry's contempt towards their late father (Gene Saks). Harry's fictional world and characters start to appear to him where he's forced to see some of the things he's done to people.

Arriving to Adair, Harry's fictional world and real-life starts to collide as he meets a literature professor (Philip Boso) as Harry tells a story about a meeting with the Devil that is in the form of Larry who forces Harry to face his sins.

Inspired by one of Allen's favorite filmmakers Ingmar Bergman and his 1957 film Wild Strawberries, Allen goes for a world where reality and fiction really do blur. Since Allen is known more for his writing, he reveals the troubles that a writer goes through whenever being dealt with writer's block and where fiction comes from. This results where many of the fictional characters in Harry's life are based purely from real people where those people know what characters they are. Their reaction is expected since everything that Harry does is upsetting and he degrades pretty much every female counterpart he's been with to create all of these characters. The film's ending sums up what the film is really all about. A man who couldn't adjust reality where to the point that he creates a fictional world where he ends up hurting the people around him.

Truly this is one of Woody Allen's most bizarre and edgy scripts but it's also one of darkest. There's a cynicism throughout the film while Allen also brings out some of the most abrasive and incendiary dialogue of his career. The use of graphic language isn't just shocking (to the world of Allen) but in his intent where you begin to wonder what inspired Allen to come up with this dialogue. Did he go out and stumble upon a few gangsta-rap albums or listen to Nine Inch Nails' Broken EP? Still, the dialogue brings out a comic edge to Allen where he goes out and plays his usual, neurotic character but this time around, Allen makes sure that Harry is a guy that is truly unlikeable despite his attempt to become sympathetic.

If Allen's script is sharp in its uncompromising behavior, his directing reveals that bitterness in a strange, bizarre style. The story about Mel, the out-of-focus actor shows that everything is clear except Mel, who looks like a total blur. There's moments where the entire film deconstructs itself into revealing Harry's psyche. The script helps visualize Allen's distorted view of fact and fiction into a directing style that is truly arty where jump-cuts are used and his visual style recalls those he's been influenced by. It's truly a dark comedy that despite its intent and protagonist, is really funny. Helping Allen in his visual is the late Italian cinematographer Carlo di Palma in his final film collaboration with Allen who brings a wonderful look of New York City and the upper stare country area that recalls Bergman. Longtime editor Susan E. Morse also plays up to Allen's deconstructed style where the jump-cuts shows Harry's stumbling, neurotic world of reality.

Also helping out in Allen's visual department is production designer Santo Loquansto who not only does great work into visualizing the world of New York but the scene where Harry is in Hell is truly amazing. Using nothing but red, orange, and whatever you can think of is truly a great idea of what Hell could be from Harry's viewpoint. With the use of swing music in the background, it's really a nightmare of a man's temptations for women and pills coming true. The film's soundtrack is also great for its use of jazz and swing that plays to the film's very upbeat tone in its presentation while helping the film move along very easily.

The film's cast is probably the biggest ensemble that Allen has put out. With small yet wonderful appearances from the likes of Robert Harper, Philip Bosco, Stephanie Roth, Mariel Hemingway, Amy Irving, Julie Kavner, The Sopranos' Tony Sirico as a cop, Irving Metzman as Harvey's shoe salesman boss, Howard Spiegel as Joan's patient, Paul Giamatti, and Jennifer Garner in her film debut as Harry's fictional version of Fay. Hy Anzell and Shifra Lerer are funny as Harry's fictionalized version of his parents while Gene Saks is funny as Harry's father. Eric Lloyd is excellent as Harry's son Hilly who often questions about Harry's view into the world while Robin Williams is even funnier as Mel, the blurred actor. Caroline Aaron is also good as Harry's sympathetic but religious sister who questions Harry's approval while Eric Bogosian is excellent as Harry's moralistic brother-in-law. The worst performance of the entire movie is Kirstie Alley as Joan where Alley overacts in a scene when she confronts Harry about the affair with her shrill voice and anger that doesn't work. Alley can be funny but as a dramatic actress, she is horrible.

Faring way better as Alley's fictional counterpart is Demi Moore who brings a calm and funny performance as Helen while Stanley Tucci is also good as Harry's fictional counterpart Paul in that segment. Judy Davis is wonderful as Harry's hysterical and troubling sister-in-law who wants to kill him after the break-up of their tryst and his awful ways. Richard Benjamin is funny as Ken with his affairs and a scene where he reveals Harry about Lucy's anger while Julia-Louis Dreyfus is good as Davis's fictional counterpart. Tobey McGuire is also funny and good has the young Harry, Harvey who is just an awful kid who cares nothing but wanting to sleep with the next girl he can come across from. Bob Balaban is wonderful as Richard who seems to be the only friend that Harry has as he does a great job in his fear of having another heart attack while giving Harry some moral insight near the end. Elisabeth Shue is lovely as the loyal Fay who loves Harry but is aware of his life as a writer while she displays the rare warmth of the rest of female characters.

Billy Crystal is excellent as Harry's friend Larry who also plays the part of the Devil in a hilarious scene about the two dealing with their own sins. Hazelle Goodman is the film's best supporting performance as the hooker Cookie who doesn't care for Harry's flaws while she does everything he can to get him to be relaxed. Woody Allen is the film's best performance obviously because he's in his own movie. Allen displays all of his usual, neurotic, insecure artistic world as a character that often works. Here, Allen displays himself in his most abrasive performance yet as a guy who is a schmuck. He doesn't think of the damage he does to people and all he cares about is his work, pills, and wanting to fuck the next piece of ass he sees. It's a great performance from Allen who plays one of his most unlikeable characters while making him a funny protagonist.

Deconstructing Harry is a strange yet entertaining comedy from Woody Allen that features an amazing ensemble cast. While it's one of Allen's better films of the 1990s as well as his most abrasive in terms of dialogue. It's also a great re-telling of Ingmar Bergman's Wild Strawberries where Allen gets a chance to pay tribute to one of his heroes. While it's a film that might take some Allen fans aback due to its content, there is still proof that Allen is able to take risks as a writer and filmmaker. In the end, Deconstructing Harry is a marvelous yet wild film from Woody Allen.

Woody Allen Films: What’s Up, Tiger Lily - Take the Money & Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love & Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories-Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows & Fog - Husbands & Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Don't Drink the Water - Bullets Over Broadway - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Celebrity - Sweet & Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)

The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2011