ADULTS ACTING LIKE IT

Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993, dir. Woody Allen)

I recently watch this wonderful film again for at least the fifth or sixth time. And while it’s an enjoyable romp, it’s certainly one of Woody Allen’s lesser good pictures.  

But what struck me on this viewing was how adult all the characters were — everyone in the picture acts like grownup (even Zach Braff’s character behaves like a mature 21 year old). Now I know this is, of course, true in most movies, but I recently watched recent films and it was something of a shock to see adult characters not behaving like Jolt Cola’d teenagers.  

The characters do behave ridiculously, don’t get me wrong, but they do not try to adopt youthful language or slang or to to act or dress like a they were thirty years younger.  In 1993, Woody was 58 years old, Alan Alda was 57, and Diane Keaton was 47. Angelica Houston was only 42. 

The film I saw right before this was the vile Bad Moms Bullshit Christmas 6 (please don’t ask) which featured six grown women acting like 13 year old boys.  On purpose.  

It was refreshing to see Keaton, Alda, Allen and Huston behaving like comfortable and  (somewhat) well-adjusted adults.  They go to nice restaurants and hockey games and the Met; they have conversations about real things and speak in full sentences.

I guess my point is that it was nice to relax and enjoy a film that was made for an audience that doesn’t need to be titillated or shocked to enjoy itself.