A Film A Day: The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)

Genre

Comedy | Crime

Director

Woody Allen

Country

USA

Cast

Woody Allen, Helen Hunt, Dan Aykroyd, Brian Markinson, Wallace Shawn, David Ogden Stiers, Charlize Theron, Elizabeth Barkley, Peter Gerety, John Schuck

Storyline

An insurance investigator (Woody Allen) and an efficiency expert (Helen Hunt) who hate each other are both hypnotized by a crooked hypnotist (Dan Aykroyd) with a jade scorpion into stealing jewels.

Opinion

I don't care what the critics said, Woody Allen knows his way around comedy and he proves it again with "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion", a delightful screwball comedy with a great cast.

Very simple but entertaining, the plot is some kind of homage to the comedy/mystery films of the early forties - the same time period in which this film is set by the way. Even though the story goes on a bit too long and at times feels a little dragged, overall it keeps your interest. Also it is clichéd and quite predictable, but is the story really the reason someone would want to watch Allen movies? I don't think so.

People - or at least me - look for well written dialogue that suits each character and that is well delivered by each of them. And that's exactly what you get with "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion". Neat and clever dialogue that makes up for the story's flaws.

Then there is Allen typical wacky humour. If you don't like it, you should probably stay away from this film, but if you do like it, well, you'll have an amazing time and many, many laughs.

And at last the cast. I absolutely love when Woody Allen plays his typical character, and he does it again as nebbish insurance investigator CW Briggs. Charlize Theron does a good job as sexy and rich socialite Laura Kensington who is attracted to Briggs, but the star here is Helen Hunt as she gives a flawless performance as efficiency expert Betty Ann Fitzgerald, Briggs's other love interest.