Woody Allen re-teams with his Annie Hall co-star Diane Keaton in
this murder mystery comedy that’s set in the upscale fantasyland of Allen’s New
York City. One Saturday night, after Larry (Allen) and his wife Carol (Keaton)
return from a hockey game (it’s an arrangement between them that Carol will
attend hockey games if Larry goes with her to the opera) and they meet up with
an elderly couple who are their neighbors down the hall. Mr. and Mrs. House are
a loving couple who’ve been married almost 28 years. After chatting on the
elevator, Mrs. House invites Larry and Carol in for some coffee. Despite her
age, the old woman is in superb health, thanks to a strict exercise regiment.
Yet sadly, Mrs. House is found dead soon afterwards of a heart attack. Larry and
Carol are there are the scene, grieving over the loss of the old woman with
their neighbors and Mr. House. However, when they bump into Mr. House a few days
later, Carol’s suspicions arise when she notices that he appears a little too
cheerful for a man who had just lost the love of his life. This sets off the
spark within her to begin her own investigation into the death of Mrs. House,
much to the chagrin of her husband Larry. Manhattan Murder Mystery is a fun romp
from actor, co-writer (with Marshall Brickman) and director Allen and his talented cast. Allen's chemistry with
Keaton is as marvelous as ever, making it very easy to believe they are a
bickering couple.
In addition to Allen and Keaton, Alan Alda also shines as Ted, Larry’s recently
divorced friend who becomes Carol’s eager partner in their amateur investigation.
Anjelica Huston is also very good as Marcia Fox, a dark-minded writer who also
becomes helpful to the oddball investigation. And fans of a certain TV sitcom
will want to keep an eye on the young man who plays the son of Allen and Keaton:
Zach Braff, who’s better known today as Dr. John "J.D." Dorian on TV’s Scrubs.
He’s also a writer/director in his own right with the film Garden State.
Although the DVD has no special features, the film alone makes it worth owning.
While it’s mainly a comedy about a middle-aged couple using a murder
investigation to rediscover their zest for life, Allen wisely has embedded a
plausible mystery within his story that makes Manhattan Murder Mystery enjoyable
to watch for mystery fans, as well.
--SF
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