Deconstructing Harry (1997)

A writer (Woody Allen) uses his own life albeit thinly disguised as the basis for his novels. This disturbs the people in his life who object to his not only revealing secrets and breaking confidences but his often inaccurate and one sided portrayals. Eventually, even the characters in his novels turn against him. Although his screenplay received an Oscar nomination, DECONSTRUCTING HARRY is perceived as minor Woody Allen which is unfair. While it may be second tier Allen, the film contains some of Allen's very best writing. The structure of the film's narrative is wonderfully layered with different actors playing real life characters and their literary counterparts: for example Judy Davis plays Allen's sister in law but Julia Louis Dreyfus plays her literary counterpart as the film goes back and forth until the literary characters invade his real life. There are some inspired Allen comedy bits that rank with his best of his output: the out of focus actor (Robin Williams), the psychiatrist (Kirstie Alley) who has an emotional meltdown while with a patient, etc. The film is influenced by Allen's cinematic gods (Bergman, Fellini) but undeniably Woody Allen all the way. The large cast includes Billy Crystal, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Richard Benjamin, Elisabeth Shue, Stanley Tucci, Amy Irving, Mariel Hemingway, Hazelle Goodman, Julie Kavner, Bob Balaban, Eric Bogosian, Caroline Aaron, Philip Bosco, Paul Giamatti and Jennifer Garner.