ClassyWas Excellent, smart action film.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Brooklynn There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

oOoBarracuda Woody Allen is one of those filmmakers known for having a large body of work, yet is largely only appreciated for a certain segment of it. With Woody, interestingly, there is not one universal segment of his films that people appreciate. Few will deny the masterpieces most often attributed to him, Annie Hall or Manhattan, for instance, but there are many camps of Woody Allen appreciation. One such camp proclaims Woody's earlier films were best. Another section of Woody Allen fandom declares his comedies are best, while yet another camp asserts that his serious films are superior. In a way, this speaks to Woody's prowess as a filmmaker, that he can impact so many audiences with such different portions of his filmography. What I'm here to advise against, however, is being overly dismissive of Woody's "lower tier" work. My theory, however, persists that Woody Allen is a filmmaker that doesn't get adequate credit for his body of work as a whole. Maybe Woody's problem of having about a dozen widely recognized classics to his name that many of his equally impressive work is overlooked is one I should be less sympathetic towards; I just can't help myself from donning the armor of Woody Allen defense at least one more time. Manhattan Murder Mystery, the 1993 installment of Woody's film-a-year output is simply sensational. There is as much artistically going on here as in Crimes and Misdemeanors, and dialogue as sharp as that in Hannah and Her Sisters. Starring, in my opinion, Woody's best screen partner Diane Keaton, as well as another pair of repeat co-stars, Alan Alda and Anjelica Huston, Manhattan Murder Mystery is a zesty look at the lives of a middle aged couple who suddenly become convinced that a neighbor in their New York City apartment building has murdered his wife. Manhattan Murder Mystery is so much more than a "silly plot" in a "throw away" Woody Allen film, but rather, another brilliant attempt at decoding the human condition we are all born into by one of America's best filmmakers.Larry Lipton (Woody Allen) and Carol Lipton (Diane Keaton) are a middle-aged couple in New York, tasked with the ever familiar plight of learning each other once again after becoming empty-nesters. Their lives together are seemingly happy; they attend operas, basketball games, and have in-depth conversations. Despite the appearance of happiness, there is an air of listlessness in their relationship. One evening, after returning home to their New York apartment from the night's events, Larry and Carol meet a couple that lives a few doors down from them, Paul House (Jerry Adler) and Lillian House (Lynn Cohen), and are invited in for a drink. Larry is more than happy to maintain a distance, but Carol is looking for a way to spice up her humdrum daily life and jumps at the chance to meet new people. Larry can't wait to leave despite Carol enjoying the visit and when the couple finally retires to their apartment they agree that their neighbors seem nice and may see them again, that is, until Lillian drops dead of a coronary the very next day. Fresh from a screening of Double Indemnity, Carol begins to suspect that her neighbor Paul actually murdered his wife. Larry thinks Carol's suspicion is off- base, leaving her to investigate her concerns with their recently divorced friend Ted (Alan Alda). The adventurous duo leaves Larry willfully behind as he believes his neighbor's innocence and simultaneously thinks such investigative matters should be left to the police. As Ted and Carol spend more time together, Larry begins to think that Ted's willingness to go along with Carol's escapades is due to a physical attraction he has for her, leaving Larry to decide if he should bring himself into the probe in order to save his marriage. As the impromptu case furthers, more evidence is acquired bringing even the most skeptical Larry to nebbishy go along with his wife's pursuit.I'm convinced Woody Allen doesn't get enough credit for how truly diverse his film career is. The notion that all of his films are the same is one that I simply find no merit to. Sure, Woody's work is revelatory and personal so there may often be a "Woody Allen character" in his films, but I will never fault an artist for putting too much of themselves into their art. As evidenced by the title, this film is essentially a murder mystery plot-driven film with ample introspection and plenty of tackling of life's biggest questions. I truly appreciate how varied Woody's career has been and his ardent pursuit to expand his art to fill almost every niche in the medium. From a film I had often heard referred to as a silly blip in Woody's filmography, I was delightfully surprised to find one of my favorite Woody Allen works. I want to believe this is Alvy Singer and Annie Hall, 15 years after we first met them and that they have enjoyed a happy and full marital existence. I don't simply choose to believe that because the main principal actors are the same, but rather because the script is excellent with dialogue that so purely captures the essence of a long-term marriage. Life isn't all sunshine and roses for the couple, they often quibble and disagree but one can see that the base of their relationship is love. There truly isn't anything I love filmed more than a realistic relationship, and that is exactly what one can expect in Manhattan Murder Mystery. Hopefully, you don't find yourself staking out a suspected murderer on date night often, but I do hope you have a relationship with ample love and acceptance and just enough rationale like the one Larry and Carol share. Who would have thought Woody Allen, the director who explores infidelity so often in his films, would give me such a loving authentic screen couple I can aspire towards.

TheLittleSongbird As someone who has really liked or loved most of what she's seen of Woody Allen's filmography(15 left to watch as of now)- he has done some disappointments but none to me have been terrible or unwatchable, more uneven than anything else-, Manhattan Murder Mystery is up there with his best, not quite in his top 5 but most definitely in the top 10. As always with Allen it's adroitly directed and beautifully made with a noir-ish feel that adds so much to the atmosphere and mystery. The music is energetic and haunting, adding much to the comedic and mystery aspects of the story. Love the old songs too, they have a very nostalgic quality and easy to recognise. The writing is hilarious and in distinctive Allen fashion- not quite among the best screenplays of all time but some of the lines here are some of the most quotable from any Woody Allen film- while also keeping the suspense to nail-biting effect. Manhattan Murder Mystery works brilliantly both as a comedy and mystery. The comedy never takes a heavy-handed approach- in fact a lot of it is quite light- and always amuses and the mystery aspect is even better, very Hitchcockian(there was a very Rear Window influence here) and intricate and with great atmosphere and suspense. A highlight is the ending with the mirror sequence paying homage to Lady in Shanghai, it really has to be one of the best ever endings of any of Allen's films and is also very visually striking. The characters as with many Woody Allen films are purposefully neurotic but also compelling in their realism and they all serve a point to the story, no superficiality in sight. Allen gets great performances from the cast and his own performance is excellent. He has believable chemistry with Diane Keaton who gives her absolute all to her most neurotic, bat-out-of-hell character yet. Anjelica Huston is strong as usual though she has given better performances in meatier roles and while Alan Alda gives a better performance in Crimes and Misdemeanors (a textbook example of how to play a weasel of a character well, brilliantly in his case) but he doesn't disappoint either. Overall, a brilliant film and one of Allen's best, a minor work this is not. 10/10 Bethany Cox

LeonLouisRicci The Movie that is most Famous for the Reuniting of Woody Allen and Diane Keaton. It lands somewhere in the Middle of the Comedian's Comedies. There are the usual number of Woody-isms and a rather Complex Murder Mystery that keeps things on the run.Showing more Neurosis than usual Woody fidgets relentlessly and babbles non-stop and for the uninitiated probably too much. There is some fine support from Alan Alda and Anjelica Huston for the Bickering Couple to play off and the Murder Mystery is ever present. Many Film Buff Homages that aren't the least bit subtle, the best being the crisp overlay of the Movie onto the Lady From Shanghai (1947).Allen doesn't hit this one out of the Park, but does manage a Stand-Up Double as some things work quite well and others seem a bit Forced for the usually Smooth Writer/Director. Fans will no doubt find it Rewarding and Entertaining, but for a new look in on the Career of Woody Allen, this one is not where to start.

morrison-dylan-fan With having found myself over the last few months unwittingly putting films of Woody Allen right at the back of the line of my "must watch" pile of movies,I decided shortly after finding out that a poll for the best films of 1993 was being held on IMDb's Classic Film board,that I would instantly put Woody Allen's 1993 right at the front,so that I could at last uncover the mysterious Manhattan murder.The plot:Returning to their apartment building after watching a game of hookey, husband and wife Larry and Carol Lipton run into near by residents,and fellow husband and wife,Paul and Lilian House.Making small talk with Paul and Lilian as they find themselves in the building's elevator with them,Larry and Carol are caught by surprise when Paul and Lilian suddenly invite them round for a late night coffee.Ignoring her husbands less then subtle signs of annoyance,Carol accepts the House's kind offer.As Larry gets bored out of existence by Paul showing him all of his stamp collection,Carol finds every minute that she spends with Lilian to be a true joy,who along with having a similar craving that Carol has for French deserts,is also very keen on her at- home gym,which leads to Carol greatly admiring Lilian,due to how amazingly fit and healthy she looks.The next night:Coming back from a night spent at the opera,Carol and Paul's fun night is stopped in its tracks,when they are given the tragic news the earlier that night,Lilian House had died of a heart attack.Feeling shaken over not just the death of her friend,but also the very odd,calm manner that Paul seemed to be in,Carol pushes Larry's reasoning that Paul is just grieving in a "different" manner right to the side,and begins to wonder if the thing that killed Lilian House was really a heart attack,or something much more sinister?...View on the film:Picking up a sub-plot that was originally meant for the duo's 1977 movie Annie Hall that got cut from the script due to feeling out of place with the rest of the plot,the screenplay by Marshall Brickman and co- writer/actor and director auteur Woody Allen impressively keep the movie away from every feeling dusty by cleverly balancing a tightly-coiled, surprisingly thrilling murder-mystery with characters like Carol Lipton,who will go to increasingly insane leginths to prove that their "hunch" is correct.Shooting the film in a "floating", non-shaky Cam style,Allen gives the movie a wonderful fresh atmosphere,with the scenes that Larry and Carol share together having an expert,improve-like feel about them,which helps to give each of Allen's and Brickman's lines (with "I cant listen to that much Wagner ya know.I start to get the urge to invade to conquer Poland!",being a particularly hilarious highlight) a real sharpness.Along with the crisp one-liners,Allen also gives the movie some terrific sly nods to Film Noir,from going to see Double Imdematey at a cinema,to an extremely stylish ending ,that has strong shades of 1947 Orson Welles Film Noir The Lady from Shanghai.Reuniting for the first time since 1979,Woody Allen and Diane Keaton both give strong performance's which set out to prove,that despite not appear on screen together for more than 10 years,neither of them has lost the other ones rhythm.Bounceing off a wonderfully agitated Allen,who would much rather be in bed then going round amateur sleuthing,Keaton shows Carol to be someone with an electrifying,and risky personality,who cant resits keeping away from solving the Manhattan murder mystery.