Another year, another Woody Allen movie. Awesome. He’s like Christmas. Except he’s Jewish. Like Christmas, though, you can never be sure if this year is going to be good fun, depressing as hell or just a little bit naff. Thankfully, Whatever Works is not only solid Allen but a welcome return to a New York setting after a few years farting about in Europe. Dusting off an old script and returning to morality play absurdity with thorough swagger, Allen casts the man who may be the ultimate example of the Allen stand-in, Larry David. A former stand-up and co-creator of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, David delivers a deeper performance than we have seen from him so far. He’s the misanthropic centre of a story peopled with the familiar neurotic, sexually hung-up men and shrill, hysterical women that Allen has made his signature. The film is shot with elegance and invisible complexity by Gus Van Sant’s regular cinematographer Harry Savides. It also has to be said that no one knows how to photograph pretty girls like the Woodster. Sorry, but it’s true. Evan Rachel Wood is more than a pretty face, of course, giving a performance of believable naiveté and warmth to counteract David’s barrage of poisonous loathing. Oh, yeah, it’s funny too.  - Aaron