'Deconstructing Harry'

While thoroughly enjoying Woody Allen's "Deconstructing Harry," I came to the fairly obvious conclusion: That the No. 1 guy that would get this 1,001 project would be Allen.

Imagine sitting around and drinking coffee with the director and him knowing more about film, art, music along with a neurotic take on human behavior and love and relationships. It would be electric. Plus, he might even buy the coffee, or, better yet, convince me to pick up the tab.

"Deconstructing Harry" is my favorite modern Allen film (released in 1997). There are two things I love about the film.

First, I love that Allen's character -- Harry -- is largely unlikeable (which isn't so much unlike his other characters) but is also genuinely an asshole. A not-very-good-overall-person.

You go in thinking you're supposed to like Harry and thus he becomes an anti-hero. But then at the end you know he's not a good person. Harry himself, I think, realizes this when he "blesses" the marriage between Billy Crystal and Liz Shue.

The second reason I love this film is Allen's ability to take risks and create scenarios where the art within the art is the character. Harry is post modern, but "Deconstructing Harry" isn't. But if Harry is, why wouldn't the movie be? In every film, I think we catch a glimpse of Allen's inner desires and thoughts. I believe he feels the same way about Hannah and her sisters, Annie Hall, Vickie and Cristina that Harry did about the characters in his novels, who were actually real people in his life.

Hell, maybe Harry is an anti-hero. I like him more now than I did 48 hours ago.