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Crimes and Misdemeanors

PG-13 Released Oct 13, 1989 1h 44m Comedy Drama List
92% Tomatometer 51 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Judah (Martin Landau) is a philandering eye doctor who wants to preserve his marriage, and his dangerous brother Jack (Jerry Orbach) comes up with what appears to be the only viable solution. Certain that his mistress (Anjelica Huston) is about to tell his wife (Claire Bloom) about his affair, Judah agrees to Jack's murderous plan. Twinned with Judah's tale is that of Cliff Stern (Woody Allen), a documentary filmmaker whose problems, which involve love and art, are tame but funny.

Critics Reviews

View All (51) Critics Reviews
Henry Sheehan Chicago Reader As a tragedian, Allen is still stuck in some sort of high school classroom, cribbing the form, but never the substance, of vaunted classics. Rated: 1/4 May 11, 2022 Full Review David Robinson Times (UK) Woody Alton's films alternate between the comic, in which he himself stars, and the serious and even solemn, which he does not Crimes and Misdemeanors successfully combines both styles. Jun 23, 2020 Full Review Derek Malcolm Guardian It is both a civilised comedy with iron in its soul and a serious examination of our inner fears that also manages to be very funny. Mar 20, 2018 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) There's a lot to laugh about…buts it’s a defense mechanism against the demolishing pessimism. [Full review in Spanish] Jun 29, 2022 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Woody Allen has not made a Hollywood movie; he has made an important work of art that raises existential and moral questions. Rated: 4/4 Mar 2, 2022 Full Review Victor Pineyro Seventh Art Studio Woody Allen's writing hypnotizes me, it's no secret that he's a much better writer than director. This film has incredible reaction acting. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 8/10 Feb 11, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jeff M There was a period between approximately 1977 and 1994 during which Woody Allen the filmmaker was practically unstoppable. In my opinion, his output during these years was unrivaled, and this is easily among the top five of his career. I feel fairly confident in proclaiming that NO film has EVER blended drama and comedy together in such perfect harmony. And I can't think of a filmmaker who is so adept at juggling multiple storylines together so seamlessly. Allen has always had the ability to attract the most startlingly brilliant casts imaginable, even in his lesser offerings, and this is definitely no exception. I would have awarded Landau and Alan Alda Oscars for this film and possibly Anjelica Huston as well. This is a perfectly acted, brilliantly smart and complex film that has you alternately laughing hysterically one moment and contemplating the meaning of existence the next. Watching a film like this has unfortunately become a somewhat sad experience because it serves as a reminder of the brilliant artist Allen was. His output the last couple decades severely pales in comparison. But one can't help but hope there is still a spark inside of him which could produce another one or two achievements on par with this one! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/24 Full Review Viviana G Fantastic movie, one of Allen´s best films. Where can I see it again? Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/03/24 Full Review geordie b This is 104 minutes of pure brilliance & one of Woody Allen's greatest achievements. Masterpiece. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/19/23 Full Review Petros T It has its strong moments but is a tad underwhelming on the whole. The cast is good, some of the jokes land well, and the philosophical and religious musings carry a certain de facto weight even if it's all familiar territory for Allen by this point. However, the film cuts abruptly from one storyline to the other, and the fact that the two never truly come together in a meaningful way is a cop-out; similarly, the alternation between comedy and tragedy is a bit confusing and not really balanced. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/22/23 Full Review Dave S The 80s were arguably Woody Allen's most creative decade, consistently pumping out quality films, including the likes of Hannah and Her Sisters, Broadway Danny Rose, Zelig, The Purple Rose of Cairo, and, to cap the decade off, Crimes and Misdemeanors. The latter film, which continues his exploration of existential angst, brings to light the fact that good is not always rewarded and evil is not always punished. As with most of his movies, the cast is stellar (Alan Alda, Martin Landau, Anjelica Huston, Mia Farrow, and more), the writing is brilliant, and Allen's direction, as always, is thoughtful and well-staged. While Crimes and Misdemeanors may not be his best film, it is certainly close to the top of the list. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/04/23 Full Review Henry H I think this is one of Woody Allen's best movies, and features a top-notch performance by Martin Landau. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/16/22 Full Review Read all reviews
Crimes and Misdemeanors

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Judah (Martin Landau) is a philandering eye doctor who wants to preserve his marriage, and his dangerous brother Jack (Jerry Orbach) comes up with what appears to be the only viable solution. Certain that his mistress (Anjelica Huston) is about to tell his wife (Claire Bloom) about his affair, Judah agrees to Jack's murderous plan. Twinned with Judah's tale is that of Cliff Stern (Woody Allen), a documentary filmmaker whose problems, which involve love and art, are tame but funny.
Director
Woody Allen
Producer
Robert Greenhut
Screenwriter
Woody Allen
Distributor
Orion Pictures
Production Co
Jack Rollins and Charles Joffe
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 13, 1989, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$17.6M
Runtime
1h 44m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
35mm