Mighty Aphrodite (1995)

Genre

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

Director

Woody Allen

Country

USA

Cast

Woody Allen, Mira Sorvino, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Rapaport, F. Murray Abraham, Olympia Dukakis, David Ogden Stiers, Jack Warden, Danielle Ferland, Peter Weller, Claire Bloom

Storyline

When his adopted son turns out to be a genius, Lenny (Woody Allen) becomes obsessed with finding the boy's real parents because he believes that they too must be brilliant. When he finds the real mother (Mira Sorvino), he is disappointed: not only she is a prostitute and porn star but quite possibly the dumbest person Lenny has ever met.

Opinion

After the interesting but unusual "Bullets Over Broadway", Woody Allen goes back to his roots with "Mighty Aphrodite", a funny and silly light comedy that is beyond entertaining.

Like he did in the past, Allen deals with domestic life and there is no doubt that this film too is largely autobiographical, but this time puts a hooker in the center of the story. A story that involves adoption, couple issues that require cheating to be solved, and the incredible idea of using a Greek chorus which is a different and brilliant way to deliver Allen's usual funny lines and observations.

The subplot involving Helena Bonham Carter and Peter Weller is somewhat less interesting and quite pointless: the viewer doesn't really have any interest in them because the whole story is focused on the weird relationship between Allen's Lenny and Mira Sorvino's Linda, hooker and mother of his adopted son.

However, the dialogue is quirky and clever as usual, and Allen delivers so many funny situations that make the film such an entertaining ride.

Allen once again plays a neurotic character, only this time he is fascinated with discovering who the mother of his adopted son really is. Then there is a particularly brilliant and sweet performance from Mira Sorvino who portrays the dumb hooker. Helena Bonham Carter as the wife and F. Murray Abraham as the Greek narrator are also worth of a mention because they both do an incredible work.

Mention-Worthy Quotes

Lenny: Achilles only had an Achilles heel, I have an entire Achilles body.