It is very unusual to find a film take such a hard long look at religion. What's more unusual is that the film is so entertaining at the same time. Of course, mention that the film was written and directed by Woody Allen, and it suddenly doesn't seem so unusual after all.
Although, Woody Allen hasn't explored issues of religion all that often in his films. He frequently meditates on cultural issues involved in being Jewish (Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry), and God pops up in lots of his movies in some way or another. But I haven't seen any other his films which even come close to the level of legitimate theological thesis as "Crimes and Misdemeanors".
The set-up is pure Woody Allen. There are a bunch of characters, a couple of different plots (major and minor), great performances from familiar faces, and humor, all tied together in some central thematic idea. The idea of this film is God's justice. If God is always watching, and God punishes the wicked and rewards the good, it shouldn't be hard to see evidence of this in the world around us. This film follows various characters, some good, some mostly good, and some horribly wicked, and examines their fortunes. If God really is how he is described, the good characters should do well.
The good characters do very badly. The wicked characters end up quite well off.
What's the point Woody is making by this? That there is no God? Or that, if there is, he doesn't particularly care whether you're good or wicked? Maybe. But whatever Woody was trying to get across, it's certainly food for thought, and it's totally deliberate. The same set-up of plots and characters could have been resolved very differently. Judah could have gone to jail and Lester could have ended up lonely, alone, and infected with the clap. From the writing standpoint, Woody could have taken this film either way. That he chose to go the way he did is significant. It's also more intellectually honest. Woody is pointing out a problem that should be of concern to all people who have a similar conception of God as the supreme arbiter of justice. The simple fact is that the world is not just, and the wicked do not always pay. This could be a major challenge to certain religious points-of-view.
As for me, I'm an atheist. I just like the jokes.
That's not entirely true. Even an atheist can enjoy, as an intellectual exercise, a good discussion of theology. But, I also do enjoy the jokes. "Crimes and Misdemeanors" is basically a straight drama, like "Interiors" or "Another Woman". Only this time, there is a character with a great sense of humor played by Woody Allen. Almost all of the humor of this film comes from the character of Clifford Stern. Stern is a funny guy who says funny things, and his being in this movie makes it funny. His documentary on his brother-in-law (wonderfully realized by Alan Alda) is a particular highpoint.
What makes this film great, though, is its script. I think "Crimes and Misdemeanors" may be Allen's greatest achievement as a writer. Everything fits together in a way that is so simple, elegant, compelling, and true. This characters are real people, and the issues they raise are real issues.
Although, Woody Allen hasn't explored issues of religion all that often in his films. He frequently meditates on cultural issues involved in being Jewish (Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry), and God pops up in lots of his movies in some way or another. But I haven't seen any other his films which even come close to the level of legitimate theological thesis as "Crimes and Misdemeanors".
The set-up is pure Woody Allen. There are a bunch of characters, a couple of different plots (major and minor), great performances from familiar faces, and humor, all tied together in some central thematic idea. The idea of this film is God's justice. If God is always watching, and God punishes the wicked and rewards the good, it shouldn't be hard to see evidence of this in the world around us. This film follows various characters, some good, some mostly good, and some horribly wicked, and examines their fortunes. If God really is how he is described, the good characters should do well.
The good characters do very badly. The wicked characters end up quite well off.
What's the point Woody is making by this? That there is no God? Or that, if there is, he doesn't particularly care whether you're good or wicked? Maybe. But whatever Woody was trying to get across, it's certainly food for thought, and it's totally deliberate. The same set-up of plots and characters could have been resolved very differently. Judah could have gone to jail and Lester could have ended up lonely, alone, and infected with the clap. From the writing standpoint, Woody could have taken this film either way. That he chose to go the way he did is significant. It's also more intellectually honest. Woody is pointing out a problem that should be of concern to all people who have a similar conception of God as the supreme arbiter of justice. The simple fact is that the world is not just, and the wicked do not always pay. This could be a major challenge to certain religious points-of-view.
As for me, I'm an atheist. I just like the jokes.
That's not entirely true. Even an atheist can enjoy, as an intellectual exercise, a good discussion of theology. But, I also do enjoy the jokes. "Crimes and Misdemeanors" is basically a straight drama, like "Interiors" or "Another Woman". Only this time, there is a character with a great sense of humor played by Woody Allen. Almost all of the humor of this film comes from the character of Clifford Stern. Stern is a funny guy who says funny things, and his being in this movie makes it funny. His documentary on his brother-in-law (wonderfully realized by Alan Alda) is a particular highpoint.
What makes this film great, though, is its script. I think "Crimes and Misdemeanors" may be Allen's greatest achievement as a writer. Everything fits together in a way that is so simple, elegant, compelling, and true. This characters are real people, and the issues they raise are real issues.