Deconstructing Harry Review
by Kevin Maguire (jmaguire AT gwi DOT net)July 15th, 1998
Woody Allen Bob Balaban
Hazelle Goodman Robin Williams
Judy Davis Demi Moore
Billy Crystal Stanley Tucci
Kirstie Alley Tobey Maguire
Elisabeth Shue among others.....
Julia Louis - Dreyfus
in DECONSTRUCTING HARRY....
Directed and Written by : Woody Allen
Produced by : Jean Doumanian
Film Rating : A- (*** 1/2)
IN 'BULLETS OVER BROADWAY' and 'Mighty Aphrodite', supporting actresses not only received nominations for Academy Awards(3) , but 2 won. The same could have been said for 'Deconstructing Harry', but there were simply too many to consider.
On the surface (the first twenty minutes) of DECONSTRUCTING HARRY, Allen (director, writer, actor) creates a disturbing element of comedy. He despises so many things, and fears many more. A scene at the beginning is so enigmatic, we wonder how he could, in any sense of the word, create a comedic situation. In the beginning, two explicit sex scenes are noted, two serious violent threats, one disturbing conversation with a psychologist, and countless acts of swearing. The transition to comedy starts as supporting actors start to detail Harry Block's situation (the main character, played predictably by Allen) , when we here their troubling trials with a man, who, self-proclaimingly states later in the movie, "I put my art into my work." The onslaught of cynicism in this part of the movie is at its highest, and also at the point where he criticizes himself, and, acting childishly, expects everyone to forgive him. As a result, he develops 'writing block.'
The middle of the movie focuses around a trip Harry Block is making with a prostitute, a hypochondriac, and his son (who he kidnapped while exiting a school bus). First on this trip is a stop at a carnival, where Allen has surreal experiences with characters he himself creates, including one scene of adultery in the process of being covered-up, with Judy Davis ( a scene, by the way, that is worth being noted for its hilarious look at a person who is flattered with herself.) The next stop is at a half-sister's estate, where her right-wing Semetic husband seems bent on spreading criticism of Allen's abstinence from Judaism, while, at the same time, intent on spreading his own propaganda. Allen states to this man, "You're the opposite of paranoid. Contrary to all the available evidence, you still think people like you." The last stop places Allen at a university, where they are hoping to present him with an award. However, the hypochondriac's worst dream (or best hope) comes true as he dies. So Harry has shown up at his old university with a prostitute and a dead body.
In the conclusion, at some other location, Allen is arrested for kidnapping his son, solicitation of prostitution, and possession of a deadly weapon (from an early scene with Judy Davis.) But before this, Allen is on an elevator which apparently leads to Hell. ( Example of who is in Hell : "Third Floor : Media. Sorry, that level has filled up.") There he runs into the devil (Billy Crystal) , who reviews all the horrible things he's done in his life, and prophesized the above event.
In jail, two friends bail him out, and he has a imaginary recognition ceremony (obviously, when Allen was arrested, he hadn't received his award yet.) At this ceremony, all of the characters in the movie are applauding him, and, there and then, his writing block is solved, and he starts writing a novel about, "A man who can only be artistic in work, not life."
This film is as all Allen's released are : wonderful. The acting of supporting characters is never very long, and as such, it would be very hard to nominate any one person for an award. This certainly is not a movie for everyone, and some may find it offensive. Actually, nearly all will find it offensive, but some will not be able to draw comedy from this offensiveness. I must lend my recommendation to this film, for it really does capture the comedy that is so Woody Allen like. Ironically, most people will like Woody Allen in this movie for hating himself.
Kevin J. Maguire
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"It's the lie that gets you." - Richard M. Nixon
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