Whatever Works is the new Woody Allen film starring Larry David, and Evan Rachel Wood. This is one of the best Woody Allen films I have seen, and his films can be very hit and miss. I get the feeling this film is very autobiographical, Larry David's character is a bitter and cynical man who is suicidal and a self proclaimed genius. At first I found his character annoying and self indulgent, but then after a while I found him strangeling endearing. He surrounds himself with this idea that he is a genius and that the human race is a lost cause. Really though he is a very sensitive man who is looking for love just like all of us. When it comes to love he thinks whatever works is the best way to think, and this film shows it. Characters fall in love left and right, some make major changes in their life when they fall. Larry David is good, well he is pretty much his character from Curb your enthusiasm.

The real star though is Evan Rachel Wood, she is one of the best actresses around. Ever since seeing her in Thirteen I have been consistantly impressed by her. She brings all the heart to this film, which is good because Larry David isn't the most cheery guy in the film. This film is everything about Woody Allen I like, with very few of the parts I don't. It does nothing new with the romance genre I can think of, but it does everything so well that I really don't care. It is a glorious tribute to love, with every bit of joy and despair it brings. Love is a mysterious thing that not even a genius like Larry David's character can understand. He tries to explain everything as human behavior and how awful we are as a species, but while he may be right a lot of the time even he can fall in love. Some may find the story of him falling in love with Evan Rachel Wood's character a bit creepy, but hey whatever works right:P I highly recommend this film, for the loveless cynics like myself, to those who have love in their lives. I hope Woody Allen makes more films like this and less films like Match Point. It may be a bit mean spirited and self indulgent at times, but I can forgive that.

Overall I give it a 8.5 out of 10.