let this be said at the outset...i feel quite strongly that i'm fully justified and totally willing to argue the point that woody allen is a genius. without question. but even the genius of Shakespeare failed him on occasion (see 'king john' if you require proof) this is an instance where allen's genius stepped out for a coffee leaving him alone to desperately struggle with this horrid piece of work. the characters are wooden and stale (dom deluise), the dialogue is strained and clichéd, the acting is surprisingly atrocious. usually one can count on at least allen himself delivering a strong performance, but alas, this does not occur here. julie kavner, who was absolutely brilliant in radio days, fails to shine in this context. mayim bialik is perfunctory, and michael j. fox is overly exuberant, marring his performance with too much ham. avoid this film if you can, especially if you wish to remain convinced of allen's infallibility. it is my opinion that this it is his worst effort.
Review of Don't Drink the Water
