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ComedyDrama

Deconstructing Harry

- Harry Block wrote a bestseller about his best friends. Now, his best friends are about to become his worst enemies.

Writer Harry Block draws inspiration from people he knows, and from events that happened to him, sometimes causing these people to become alienated from him as a result.

Release Date : 1997-12-12

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Sweetland FilmsJean Doumanian ProductionsMagnolia Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Caroline Aaron

Character Name : Doris

Original Name : Caroline Aaron

Gender : Female

Woody Allen

Character Name : Harry Block

Original Name : Woody Allen

Gender : Male

Kirstie Alley

Character Name : Joan

Original Name : Kirstie Alley

Gender : Female

Bob Balaban

Character Name : Richard

Original Name : Bob Balaban

Gender : Male

Richard Benjamin

Character Name : Ken

Original Name : Richard Benjamin

Gender : Male

Eric Bogosian

Character Name : Burt

Original Name : Eric Bogosian

Gender : Male

Billy Crystal

Character Name : Larry / The Devil

Original Name : Billy Crystal

Gender : Male

Judy Davis

Character Name : Lucy

Original Name : Judy Davis

Gender : Female

Hazelle Goodman

Character Name : Cookie

Original Name : Hazelle Goodman

Gender : Female

Mariel Hemingway

Character Name : Beth Kramer

Original Name : Mariel Hemingway

Gender : Female

Amy Irving

Character Name : Jane

Original Name : Amy Irving

Gender : Female

Julie Kavner

Character Name : Grace

Original Name : Julie Kavner

Gender : Female

Eric Lloyd

Character Name : Hilly

Original Name : Eric Lloyd

Gender : Male

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Character Name : Leslie

Original Name : Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Gender : Female

Tobey Maguire

Character Name : Harvey Stern

Original Name : Tobey Maguire

Gender : Male

Demi Moore

Character Name : Helen

Original Name : Demi Moore

Gender : Female

Elisabeth Shue

Character Name : Fay Sexton

Original Name : Elisabeth Shue

Gender : Female

Stanley Tucci

Character Name : Paul Epstein

Original Name : Stanley Tucci

Gender : Male

Robin Williams

Character Name : Mel

Original Name : Robin Williams

Gender : Male

Hy Anzell

Character Name : Max

Original Name : Hy Anzell

Gender : Male

Scotty Bloch

Character Name : Ms. Paley

Original Name : Scotty Bloch

Gender : Male

Philip Bosco

Character Name : Professor Clark

Original Name : Philip Bosco

Gender : Male

Robert Harper

Character Name : Harry's Doctor

Original Name : Robert Harper

Gender : Male

Shifra Lerer

Character Name : Dolly

Original Name : Shifra Lerer

Gender : Male

Gene Saks

Character Name : Harry's Father

Original Name : Gene Saks

Gender : Male

Stephanie Roth Haberle

Character Name : Janet

Original Name : Stephanie Roth Haberle

Gender : Female

Dan Frazer

Character Name : Janet's Dad

Original Name : Dan Frazer

Gender : Male

Joel Leffert

Character Name : Norman

Original Name : Joel Leffert

Gender : Male

Lynn Cohen

Character Name : Janet's Mom

Original Name : Lynn Cohen

Gender : Female

Joe Buck

Character Name : Yankee Announcer

Original Name : Joe Buck

Gender : Male

Jane Hoffman

Character Name : Grandma

Original Name : Jane Hoffman

Gender : Female

Annette Arnold

Character Name : Rosalee

Original Name : Annette Arnold

Gender : Female

Frederick Rolf

Character Name : Harvey's Doctor

Original Name : Frederick Rolf

Gender : Male

Elisabeth Kieselstein-Cord

Character Name : Rosalee's Sister

Original Name : Elisabeth Kieselstein-Cord

Gender : Female

Lortensia Hayes

Character Name : Jennifer

Original Name : Lortensia Hayes

Gender : Female

Alicia Meer

Character Name : Woman in Shoe Store

Original Name : Alicia Meer

Gender : Female

Victoria Hale

Character Name : Woman in Shoe Store

Original Name : Victoria Hale

Gender : Female

Irving Metzman

Character Name : Shoe Salesman

Original Name : Irving Metzman

Gender : Male

Sunny Chae

Character Name : Lily Chang

Original Name : Sunny Chae

Gender : Female

Ralph Pope

Character Name : Death

Original Name : Ralph Pope

Gender : Male

Tony Darrow

Character Name : Camera Operator

Original Name : Tony Darrow

Gender : Male

Jonathan LaPaglia

Character Name : First Assistant Cameraperson

Original Name : Jonathan LaPaglia

Gender : Male

Jeff Mazzola

Character Name : Second Assistant Cameraperson

Original Name : Jeff Mazzola

Gender : Male

Timothy Jerome

Character Name : Director

Original Name : Timothy Jerome

Gender : Male

Peter Castellotti

Character Name : Crew Member

Original Name : Peter Castellotti

Gender : Male

Judy Bauerlein

Character Name : Actress

Original Name : Judy Bauerlein

Gender : Male

Joseph P. Reidy

Character Name : First Assistant Director

Original Name : Joseph P. Reidy

Gender : Male

Phyllis Burdoe

Character Name : Script Supervisor

Original Name : Phyllis Burdoe

Gender : Male

Barbara Hollander

Character Name : Mel's Daughter

Original Name : Barbara Hollander

Gender : Female

Adam Rose

Character Name : Mel's Son

Original Name : Adam Rose

Gender : Male

David S. Howard

Character Name : Mel's Doctor

Original Name : David S. Howard

Gender : Male

Amanda Barudin

Character Name : Beth Kramer's Daughter

Original Name : Amanda Barudin

Gender : Female

Juliet Gelfman-Randazzo

Character Name : Baby Hilly

Original Name : Juliet Gelfman-Randazzo

Gender : Female

Floyd Resnick

Character Name : Israeli Patient

Original Name : Floyd Resnick

Gender : Male

Brian McConnachie

Character Name : Dr. Reese

Original Name : Brian McConnachie

Gender : Male

Peter Jacobson

Character Name : Goldberg

Original Name : Peter Jacobson

Gender : Male

Tracey Lynne Miller

Character Name : Goldberg's Girlfriend

Original Name : Tracey Lynne Miller

Gender : Female

Jennifer Garner

Character Name : Woman in Elevator

Original Name : Jennifer Garner

Gender : Female

Irwin Charone

Character Name : Bar Mitzvah Host

Original Name : Irwin Charone

Gender : Male

John Doumanian

Character Name : Bar Mitzvah Guest

Original Name : John Doumanian

Gender : Male

Alexa Aronson

Character Name : Bar Mitzvah Guest

Original Name : Alexa Aronson

Gender : Male

Kenneth Edelson

Character Name : Bar Mitzvah Guest

Original Name : Kenneth Edelson

Gender : Male

Viola Harris

Character Name : Elsie

Original Name : Viola Harris

Gender : Female

Si Picker

Character Name : Wolf Fishbein

Original Name : Si Picker

Gender : Male

Howard Spiegel

Character Name : Mr. Farber

Original Name : Howard Spiegel

Gender : Male

Eugene Troobnick

Character Name : Professor Wiggins

Original Name : Eugene Troobnick

Gender : Male

Ray Aranha

Character Name : Professor Aranha

Original Name : Ray Aranha

Gender : Male

Paul Giamatti

Character Name : Professor Abbott

Original Name : Paul Giamatti

Gender : Male

Marvin Chatinover

Character Name : Professor Cole

Original Name : Marvin Chatinover

Gender : Male

Daniel Wolf

Character Name : Professor Wolf

Original Name : Daniel Wolf

Gender : Male

Waltrudis Buck

Character Name : Dean of Adair University

Original Name : Waltrudis Buck

Gender : Female

Arden Myrin

Character Name : Student Mary

Original Name : Arden Myrin

Gender : Female

Daisy Prince

Character Name : Elevator Voice

Original Name : Daisy Prince

Gender : Female

Peter McRobbie

Character Name : Damned Man

Original Name : Peter McRobbie

Gender : Male

Dan Moran

Character Name : Devil

Original Name : Dan Moran

Gender : Male

Ray Garvey

Character Name : Policeman on Campus

Original Name : Ray Garvey

Gender : Male

Linda Perri

Character Name : Policewoman on Campus

Original Name : Linda Perri

Gender : Female

Tony Sirico

Character Name : Policeman at Jail

Original Name : Tony Sirico

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-05-02

The aptly named "Harry Block" (Woody Allen) is a seriously lapsed Jewish writer suffering from constipation of the typewriter. Adding to his woes is a nervousness about an impending honour from his alma mater (from where he was unceremoniously expelled) and the fact that his personal life makes Henry VIII's look like "Bertie and Elizabeth". Of course, "Harry" is seeing a therapist (Robert Harper) and with just a day before his conferment, he realises that his entire shambolic life is a result of his inability to fall in love. He likes women, he likes sex but he doesn't really like commitment, wanting always to treat a relationship like something he can buy in, or return to, Walmart. That's the basis of this story of a flawed individual that using a series of statically directed sit-com style scenarios takes us thorough twenty-four hours in the manic life of the shallow and unlikeable individual. I have never really been a fan of Woody Allen and this did nothing to change that. Granted his writing is quick fired and his observations potent at times, but his sense of humour is just too crass for me. There's nothing at all subtle about it, no cleverness - and the opening scenes of this set a scene for what I thought became increasingly puerile and predictable. A sort of slickly-delivered linguistic slapstick. Vulgar can be fun, but not when it's got some pseudo-intellectual underpinning about cause and effect of an human behaviour that becomes more and more contrived to fit the narrative the auteur wants to deliver. Are the jump cuts just there to divert our attention from the dwindling characterisations and increasing soapy melodrama? He doesn't imbue his character with anything I could care about, and though I did think Judy Davis and a cast of many reliable faces did their best to shore it all up, in the end it's very appropriately titled - it just doesn't happen quite quickly enough.