MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for Whatever Works

Whatever Works

2009 · 92 min

A talky, misanthropic comedy that charms with sharp wit and absurd romantic entanglements, leaving a wry smile.

Tagline
A new comedy!
Overview
Whatever Works explores the relationship between a crotchety misanthrope, Boris and a naïve, impressionable young runaway from the south, Melody. When Melody's uptight parents arrive in New York to rescue her, they are quickly drawn into wildly unexpected romantic entanglements. Everyone discovers that finding love is just a combination of lucky chance and appreciating the value of "whatever works."

Search YouTube for the trailer

Rent or buy in the UK
  • Apple TV Store
  • Amazon Video
  • Sky Store
More options Data from JustWatch
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • cynicalstrength 3 of 3
  • satiricalstrength 3 of 3
  • romanticstrength 2 of 3
  • absurdstrength 2 of 3
Pacing
brisk, 3 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • love
  • identity
  • family
  • faith
  • morality
Places
  • big city
  • home
Era
contemporary
Audience
adult
Form
  • ensemble
Content intensity
  • Gore none
  • Language mild
  • Violence mild
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action2
Horror0
Humour8
Realism7
Romance6
Tension3
Darkness4
Complexity5
Emotional weight4

More like this

Titles like Whatever Works

TV series

Seinfeld

1989–1998

A breezy, joke-dense hangout where petty grievances and absurd coincidences escalate into hilariously trivial disasters.

Cynical, satirical, brisk · about identity · ensemble

Via
  • cynical
  • satirical
  • identity
  • ensemble
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Seasons
9
Details In your watch list
SeinfeldHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Hannah and Her Sisters

1986

A warm, talky, bittersweet ensemble piece that drifts through family entanglements with wit and melancholy.

Same writer: Woody Allen · Satirical · about love and identity · ensemble

Also
Same writer: Woody Allen
Via
  • satirical
  • love
  • identity
  • ensemble
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
107 min
Details In your watch list
Hannah and Her SistersHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Love and Death

1975

A giddy, talky romp through war and philosophy, stuffed with one-liners and mock-serious debates that keep you grinning even as death looms.

Same director: Woody Allen · Cynical, satirical, brisk · about love and faith

Also
Same director: Woody Allen
Via
  • cynical
  • satirical
  • love
  • faith
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
85 min
Details In your watch list
Love and DeathHidden from your suggestions.
TV series

The Simpsons

1989

A fast, joke-dense cartoon that skewers everyday life with warmth and absurdity, easy to dip into and reliably funny.

Satirical, absurd, brisk · about identity and family · ensemble

Via
  • satirical
  • absurd
  • identity
  • family
  • ensemble
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Seasons
38
Details In your watch list
The SimpsonsHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Annie Hall

1977

A wry, wistful stroll through a failed romance, full of witty digressions and bittersweet self-examination that leaves a gentle ache.

Same writer: Woody Allen · Satirical, romantic · about love and identity

Also
Same writer: Woody Allen
Via
  • satirical
  • romantic
  • love
  • identity
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
93 min
Details In your watch list
Annie HallHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Manhattan

1979

A witty, bittersweet stroll through elegant black-and-white New York, full of talky neuroses and quiet ache.

Same director: Woody Allen · Satirical, romantic · about love and identity

Also
Same director: Woody Allen
Via
  • satirical
  • romantic
  • love
  • identity
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
96 min
Details In your watch list
ManhattanHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Deconstructing Harry

1997

A witty, self-lacerating comedy that jumps between reality and fiction, making you laugh while feeling the sting of a life turned into material.

Same writer: Woody Allen · Cynical, satirical, brisk · about identity and family · ensemble

Also
Same writer: Woody Allen
Via
  • cynical
  • satirical
  • identity
  • family
  • ensemble
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
96 min
Details In your watch list
Deconstructing HarryHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Everyone Says I Love You

1996

A breezy, whimsical musical romance that glides through charming urban settings with wit and toe-tapping numbers.

Same director: Woody Allen · Romantic · about love and identity

Also
Same director: Woody Allen
Via
  • romantic
  • love
  • identity
Pacing
measured
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
101 min
Details In your watch list
Everyone Says I Love YouHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

2008

A sun-drenched, witty exploration of desire and dissatisfaction, with sharp dialogue and a lively Spanish backdrop.

Same writer: Woody Allen · Satirical, romantic · about love and identity · ensemble

Also
Same writer: Woody Allen
Via
  • satirical
  • romantic
  • love
  • identity
  • ensemble
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
96 min
Details In your watch list
Vicky Cristina BarcelonaHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Trainwreck

2015

A loose, raunchy comedy that coasts on sharp banter and awkward set pieces before warming into a surprisingly sincere romance.

Cynical, satirical · about love and identity · ensemble

Via
  • cynical
  • satirical
  • love
  • identity
  • ensemble
Pacing
measured
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
125 min
Details In your watch list
TrainwreckHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Melinda and Melinda

2004

A witty, talky experiment that splits one woman's story into comic and tragic halves, leaving you to weigh which feels truer.

Same writer: Woody Allen · Satirical · about love and identity · ensemble

Also
Same writer: Woody Allen
Via
  • satirical
  • love
  • identity
  • ensemble
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
100 min
Details In your watch list
Melinda and MelindaHidden from your suggestions.
TV series

Curb Your Enthusiasm

2000–2024

A cringe-inducing, sharply observed comedy of social friction, where trivial misunderstandings escalate into hilariously awkward confrontations.

Cynical, satirical, brisk · about identity and family · ensemble

Via
  • cynical
  • satirical
  • identity
  • family
  • ensemble
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Seasons
12
Details In your watch list
Curb Your EnthusiasmHidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

Rent or buy
  • Apple TV Store
  • Amazon Video
  • Sky Store

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres
comedy, romance
Directed by
Woody Allen
Written by
Woody Allen
Starring
Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Michael McKean, Conleth Hill, Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley Jr., Carolyn McCormick, Henry Cavill
Cinematography
Harris Savides
Runtime
92 min
Country
United States of America, France
Languages
English

TMDBIMDbLetterboxdWikipediaWikidata