Deconstructing Harry
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Movie Reviews of Deconstructing Harry
Movie Review: Woody Allen travels into the mind of a writer, excellent!
Summary: 5 Stars
How can I best describe the story of Woody Allen's 1997 comedy "Deconstructing Harry"? Well, I think that the film does a great job of describing itself with some of the final words of dialogue that we hear spoken by Allen's on-screen protaganist Harry Block, "It's about a really interesting character, a guy who can't function well in life, but can only function in art". This is not the first or last time that Allen has taken on the subject of creative personalities in his work, look at the jazz musician in "Sweet and Lowdown", the playwright in "Bullets Over Broadway", or the documentary fimmaker in "Crimes and Misdemeanors". But with "Deconstructing Harry" Allen seems to be at both his most self-revealing AND self-conscience as he tackles the life of a popular (but unhappy) novelist who is experiencing writers block, as well as those close to him who he has literally "used" in his work. It also seems like Allen was in a particularly dark and pessimistic mood when he concieved this piece (as opposed to say, the romanticism of "Manhattan" or "Annie Hall"), but luckily for us that pessimism translates into some hilarious darkly-comic moments. I must say that personally, I love this film and consider it among Allen's best work ever,...but I gaurantee you, it will NOT be for everybody! This film has an unusally complex style of storytelling, even by Woody Allen standards. We see Harry's life and work unfold through flashbacks, scenes from his novels, fantasy sequences, and most interestingly, conversations with the imaginary characters that he has created. Some viewers may also be turned-off by Woody's excessive use of jump-cuts in this film, as dialogue is sometimes cut off in mid-sentence, and scenes jump from one image to another. However, some words spoken by Harry towards the end of the film about his "fragmented, disjointed existence" (as the on-screen picture runs through a series of quick jump cuts), seem to be an attempt by Allen to actually EXPLAIN the film's choppy style to his viewers. I remember that when some people went to see this film in the theater (including a certain big-time movie critic!) they got completely swamped by it's unpredicable, free-wheeling narrative, but for those who are used to Allen's unique brand of storytelling will probably find it to be quite fascinating! It would be amiss of me not to mention Allen's excellent supporting cast. Elisabeth Shue (looking particularly gorgeous here!) is a sheer delight as Harry's much-younger love interest, and their brief scenes together add s real spark to the film, Judy Davis has some great scenes as a neurotic kook ex-lover who has been hurt by Harry's all-too-true work, and TV actress Kirstie Alley almost steals the show as Harry's bitter ex-wife, and a flashback to the literal END of their marriage is one of the films best moments. Allen and Alley are both exceptional in what must be the most hilarious marital argument scene ever put on film! Harry's wimpy backpeddling and self-justification when caught in an exra-marital affair is a classic Woody Allen moment! This film may not be for everyone, but for those who "get it", "Deconstructing Harry" is a great cinema experience!Movie Review: One of Allen's better films of the nineties...
Summary: 5 Stars
Deconstructing Harry is one of Allen's better films released in the nineties. (1997) Harry Block also is one of the more neurotic characters that Allen has ever created, as a neurotic writer with writer's block is the film's central theme. Harry is alcoholic, pops pills and prefers to have sex with prostitutes because of the acts lack of emotional commitment. Like many writers, he uses the people he knows in reality, their quirks, mannerisms, physical appearance and lives, as models for his fictional characters, which get him into a lot of trouble. But is this really fair to the people one knows, to use them in one's novels, sometimes negatively, to sell one's books?
The film is cleverly edited between the writer's life and the fiction he creates, as the audience can see his exaggerations, embellishments and his lack of responsibility to the people he hurts. The film also uses flashbacks in the character's life to show us why he is the way he is now. He uses a theatrical technique used by many great playwrights such as Chekhov and Arthur Miller, putting fictional or dead characters into a dialogue with the central protagonist as a tool of reflection and realization, giving the audience a different perspective of the story.
The amount of talent in this film is extraordinary: an older more distinguished looking Richard Benjamin (Catch 22, Goodbye Columbus), Kristie Alley as Joan, Billy Crystal as a friend, Larry, and the charming and understated Devil; Judy Davis (Husbands and Wife's) an excellent if not grating performance as Harry Block's jilted lover; and a young Toby Maguire (Spiderman) portraying a character, Harvey Stern in one of Block's short stories. The list continues from there - Marial Hemmingway, Demi Moore, etc. Some critics commented that he wrote the script to give all the great female actors a job in one of his films as defence against the criticism that he uses the same cast for all his movies. In fact this film is an attack on film and book critics generally. As there depicted as being on the same level as thieves and murderers. The nineties was not a good critical time for Woody Allen films.
Harry Block realizes that his real live is lacking due to his failed marriages and numerous affairs - that he can only live a fulfilling life through his art. As he is greeted in a dream by all his characters in his books, hundred's in fact, I was reminded of a story that Charles Dicken had a similar dream at the end of his life, where all the characters (Two thousand) from his many novels come to greet him before he leaves the earth. This purportedly gave the 19th century author meaning to his life during a severe depression. Interestingly the same can be said of Allen's character, Harry Block. Once he comes to terms with his shortcomings, it is his art, his writing that truly gives his life meaning.
Although not one of Woody Allen's best film's, it is certainly one of his better one's.
Movie Review: A wonderfully constructed comedy that helps us deconstruct ourselves...
Summary: 5 Stars
Getting to know Woody Allen's filmography as of late has been a real trip, and while there have been some misses for me, for the most part I have become a real fan of his work. `Deconstructing Harry' may very well be one of my favorites. The film is an uproarious look at the struggle one makes to create something, about the fact that fiction truly imitates life and that life, in its rawest of forms, is truly remarkable.
Woody Allen stars as Harry Block, a famous writer who is suffering from a serious case of writers block. While he's struggling with this artistic roadblock he is also presented with the honor of being the center of a University tribute, as the school that once threw him out wants to give him an award. Now, more than ever, Harry is faced with his own slew of insecurities as he contemplates why no one in his life likes him. As he struggles to find someone to accompany him to his awards ceremony he realizes that the decisions he has made in life has segregated him from those he loves, or at one time loved. He's been unfaithful to every wife he's ever had and has single-handedly destroyed the reputations of his family, friends and lovers in his novels. No one can stand him and this forces Harry to reach down inside himself to find the reasons why.
The process he uses is what really makes this film so unbelievable good.
Telling the story of his life through a series of short stories he in fact wrote, Harry exposes his inner feelings through characters based on himself and others around him. He explores his romantic relationships and his countless infidelities; his feelings on marriage and loyalty and even success. He tackles his views on religion and culture and family, all of which help construct (or deconstruct) this man from the inside out.
The film is littered with countless supporting actors who just devour the screenplay that Woody delivers to them with such conviction and comedic excellence. Even actors who have very small roles (Robin Williams) make the most of their limited screen time to deliver performances that elevate the films core. Billy Crystal and Elizabeth Shue are phenomenal and Demi Moore and Bob Balaban (of Christopher Guest fame) are both scene stealers. The real standout here, aside from Woody himself, is Kirstie Alley who just dominates as Harry's ex-wife Joan. She has only a few scenes, and in each scene she is ranting and yelling and throwing a fit, but that fit is seriously comedic genius, rich with honest emotion and brutal delivery.
The real star of the show is Woody's brilliant script (which really should have won the Oscar) for it is rich with wit and a truism that makes the film so much more effective than your average comedy. Harry Block is far from a likable guy, but underneath it all he is an extremely relatable guy, someone who we can see within ourselves. `Deconstructing Harry' is a smart and successful look at deconstructing ourselves.
Movie Review: Journey to hell with your inner demons
Summary: 5 Stars
In a rare case of art imitating life, Woody Allen gives us his comedy Deconstructing Harry, where we meet Harry Block, a neurotic writer unfaithful to all of his wives, addict to sedatives, obsessed with sex and prostitutes; a man who shamelessly offends family members and friends with his books. In a jiff, a classic Woody Allen character, but darker, sadder, more isolated and more immature.
Now, on the verge of a famous University tribute, Harry must deal with his insecurities, bad habits and nerves while he begins a journey where he will interact with dual realities -the ones in his agitated life and the ones reflected through the characters of his books- and will show the audience with very black humor his incapacity to have honest relationships and his absurd excuses to defend his nasty actions. He will revolve in the deepest caves of his destructive side until literally go to hell, as never had done an Allen's character
To recommend Deconstructing Harry implies to warn you that you`ll be part of a sordid world of phobias, obsessions, fear of death, hypochondrias and neurosis, all of this wrapped up with a coat of vulgarity and repulsiveness that won't run out through the 96 minutes of the film.
It's a respectable, intelligent, witty and crude work. Here, Allen has consumed himself as an irreverent. Honest and brutal, he gives us a stellar cast with colorful characters, with Harry as the center of everything. The dialogs are quick, witty, full of cynicism, and will get as many laughs as many stomach kicks. But let's appreciate his honesty, not criticize it.
It's inevitable not to compare Allen's life and personality with his Harry: his ability to create memorable and valuable works, in spite of the scandals surrounding his life, his personality, a little neurotic and lonely. "Why can't I function in life I only function in art"...His willingness to use himself as a joke, his toughness with himself is a hit in Deconstructing Harry, even when it brings him near to self-destruction.
Allen`s creative genius and his talent as a filmmaker once again are here on the top. Just like Harry, Allen's life has been full of chaos and scandals, but he has proved, if anyone had a doubt, to be an exceptional artist. And that's the only thing that should matter to the audience.
Movie Review: Another Masterpiece from Allen.
Summary: 5 Stars
I thought that was truly a great film. It may be hard for some people to why I think that. This film is about coping with reality by creating fanatasies and the relationship of an artist's life to his art and his art to his life. It's also about the problems Allen's character has dealing with others, problems that he creates. I think Allen accomplished all of these things brilliantly and gives us a picture of an immature artist that other's can relate to. Though the character may not be likable at all, all of us can understand at least a little of what he does. This is one of Woody's films heavily influenced by Bergman, specifically his "Wild Strawberries". It also reminded me alot of Fellini's "8 1/2". Allen uses the device of allowing us to see what the character is thinking through his daydreams and his rembrances, like Fellini and Bergman did. Allen also let's us see how Harry imagined the fiction he wrote, fiction which was based upon his own life. And like Fellini Allen's character interacts with the characters he created in his mind. At the end of 8 1/2 there is a dance of life, where all the characters from the main character's fantasies, rembrances, and real life are all dancing around the completed movie set, celebrating life. At the end of Deconstructing Harry there is a celebration of neurosis where Harry accepts his award in front of his imagined characters and some people from his real life. While Fellini and Bergman may have celebrated life and death respectively, Allen celebrates neurosis.
I don't think I've adequately explained what makes this movie great. I think you would have to see Wild Strawberries and 8 1/2 and then this movie to truly understand. I think this film spoke to me so much because I am also a writer, I don't know if a non-artist would respond to it the same way. But I know that this is a film masterpiece and I hope that it's not the last one Woody has for us.