La dea dell'amore

I have just watched Woody Allen's magnificent movie again for the first time in almost 10 years and am more convinced than ever that it is one of his most under-rated films (but then, how do you judge an artist - by his individual works or by the overall body of his work?). And if suddenly I feel I am getting too serious here, let's just say that this is a very funny film.

By now there is no escaping the fact that Woody Allen's films are largely autobiographical in that he uses what is happening in his own life to fuel his storylines. For an audience this is sometimes only apparent in hindsight as the tabloids are quick to exploit Woody's foibiles. But he beats us to it, and for that reason "Mighty Aphrodite" deals us a killer blow - it is very, very funny but in dealing with adoption, children and in marriages on the verge it is also very moving. I laughed till I cried (the juxtaposition of the Greek chorus with the contemporaneous is a brilliant device) and finally I just cried.

As to the movie itself, it is beautifully photographed and brilliantly edited (and with some inspired choreography) and acted to the highest order: (Helena Bonham-Carter standing in for Mia Farrow just as well as Kenneth Branagh stood in for the Woodmeister in "Celebrity" - and how incestuous can we get here). But the final word has to go to Mira Sorvino who is funny, touching and inspired. Sometimes (not often) the Academy gets it right and her Oscar was one of their finest hours.

Woody Allen gives us an unconventional friendship with a Greek tragedy (Or comedy) as its backdrop. Story is about a sports writer named Lenny (Allen) who is married to Amanda (Helena Bonham Carter) and she works in an art gallery but their marriage is on the rocks so Amanda suggests they adopt a baby but Lenny at first says no. After they adopt a boy they name Max it takes no time for Lenny to change his mind. As Max grows Lenny is very curious about who left him for adoption and he starts snooping around until he tracks down Max's real mother. Turns out his real mother is Linda Ash (Mira Sorvino) who is a hooker and sometimes porno actress and Lenny sets up dates with her (No sex) and gets to know her better. He doesn't tell her that he has adopted her son and a friendship develops between the two. Meanwhile, Amanda is having an affair with Jerry (Peter Weller) and she moves out. Lenny tries to help Linda improve her life and sets up a date between her and a local boxer named Kevin (Michael Rapaport). During the course of this film Lenny talks to members of a Greek chorus who chant out what he should and should not do and sometimes they break into song! Three of the Greek chorus members are F. Murray Abraham, David Ogden Stiers and Olympia Dukakis. This is one of Allens funniest films in years and Sorvino steals the picture. I could listen to her talk that dialogue all day long. One of the many lines that stand out is when on a date with Rapaport she tells him she dated a pinball champion, but two guys strangled him! Sorvino appears on the surface to be just another kooky hooker but as the film develops we start to really care for her character and Sorvino adds just the right amount of charm and realism without forgetting the comedic elements of her role. One of the reasons the friendship between her and Allen works so well is because Sorvino displays her own sharp and quick wit to their spirited conversations. Allen has never used four letter words in his films but he does here and it seems appropriate with Linda's background and the violent pimp that Lenny goes to visit. The cinematographer is the great Carlo DiPalma and he's shot several of Allens films as well as "Blowup". The colors are interesting in several shots and the color yellow is very prominent. The focus of the story is about Allens character tempting fate by intruding in on Linda's life and trying to change it. This is clearly one of Allens best films and Sorvino is just terrific in a career making performance.

Sports writer Lenny Weinrib is married to Amanda. Amanda decides she wants a child but can't afford to take a year away from her art gallery projects, so they adopt. Over the years the child strengthens their marriage and turns out to be incredibly clever and gifted. Curious about his parents Lenny sets out to find Max's mother (understanding the father to be dead). Expecting her to be intelligent he is surprised to locate a hooker who aspires to make it to Broadway and is working her way their in adult movies. He tries to get to know her and seeks to better her lot in life by getting her out of the game so that his son won't grow up to locate his mother to find she is an aging porn star. This causes tensions between Lenny and Linda but also at home as the cracks in his marriage begin to show.

Woody Allen's films do tend to be similar if not the same – certainly the last few years have seen him return to a regular light comedy style (I'm not complaining). However they potentially could be all the same. Here he cleverly mixes Greek tragedy into the story to make it sufficiently different. The story is certainly different, with a hooker taking center stage, however Allen's trade mark wit is still very much on show. The Greek chorus line is merely a different way of delivering his usual one liners and funny observations and doesn't distract at all. It's very straight forward, but the Greek touch makes it feel fresh and new.

Woody Allen is as good as ever – he maybe looks a bit old, but he's so good at what he does that after 5 minutes it doesn't matter. Sorvino is excellent in a daffy role – it's not the sort of role usually rewarded by awards but she deserved the Oscar for a funny performance. Bonham-Carter is not very good as an `Noo Yorka' girl but luckily she has little screen time. The support cast is full of quality and lots of well known (if not famous) faces in small roles, F Abraham Murray is the head of the chorus line but the support includes Peter Weller, Jack Warner, Tony Siricio (Soprano's Paulie), Michael Rapaport, Paul Giamatti – the list goes on.

Overall this is yet another quality product from Woody Allen, it's hardly ground breaking stuff but when someone can be consistently this good year after year then you've got to give him his dues.

Spike Jones once said that his material was too corny for sophisticated people but too sophisticated for corny people. Woody Allen's material can lend itself to similar critique. Mighty Aphrodite has a superb balance between sophistication and corn.

The Greek chorus idea is very well used, both at a sophisticated level - the film is essentially a modernised Greek drama - and at a corn level (when the chorus morphed into a more Broadway-style chorus Janie avoided the cheese by going into the kitchen and uncorking the wine). The Greek myth theme is well done throughout - I loved the appeal to Zeus especially. Also the deus ex machina resolution was terrific fun, although I think not entirely original (I believe it was Cocteau who previously used the helicopter as a visual deus ex machina).

Fine performances - Mira Sorvino is a super "tart with a heart". Even Helena Bonham Carter is more effectively used in this film than in her standard Merchant Ivory roles, although I thought she lacked chemistry with Woody. Good also to see F Murray Abraham as the leader of the chorus - why do we see so little of him these days?

I'm a fan of Woody, but he has been patchy in the last 10 years or so. With this one, he really was in sparkling form. Well worth seeing.

Allen and Bonham Carter adopt a boy of such genius that Allen sets out to find his real mother who turns out to be a prostitute and porn movie star and not the sharpest pencil in the box.

One of Allen's better comedies held up high by a luscious performance by Sorvino - you just can't wait until she's back on screen. As usual the support cast is impressive and Allen's interplay with Sorvino is as witty as he's been for some time. In addition, the use of a Greek chorus lead by F Murray Abraham who largely counsel Allen on his life is nicely handled.