Movie Review:
Deconstructing Harry (1997)
MOVIE REVIEW:
Deconstructing harry (1997)
Deconstructing harry (1997)
TITLE: Deconstructing Harry
RELEASE DATE: August 27, 1997
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STREAMING/RENT: CLICK HERE
SUMMARY
Harry Block is a successful, albeit neurotic, writer known for drawing heavily from his own life experiences to create his stories. This habit has resulted in a trail of strained relationships with friends, ex-lovers, and family members, many of whom feel betrayed by Harry's exploitative use of their shared histories for his work.
Harry prepares to receive an honorary award from the university he once attended. However, he grapples with a creative block and a sense of emptiness in his personal life. He invites several people from his past to accompany him to the ceremony, hoping to reconcile with them and find some inspiration along the way.
THE SOCIAL COMMENTARY IN THE FILM
Fiction vs. Reality - Art and life can't be completely separated. This film blurs the line between the two, letting his characters haunt Harry in real life.
We have a lot in here about dysfunctional relationships and the desire to pick relations that can't work out. We explore Harry's flaws and his interactions and how the mix of the two leads to isolation and loneliness.
Mortality - Harry is faced with his own mortality from the time his ex picks up a gun through the very end, even watching a "friend" die in the car. The movie examines the consequences of his actions throughout his life and where that leaves Harry as he begins to confront the end of his existence.
WHAT I LOVED
I did not expect to like this movie much. I'm not a huge Woody Allan guy, particularly due to everything we know about him as a person and I usually don't give him the time of day. I thought he was fantastic in this role and that it seems that he fit it pretty closely... maybe Woody, much like Harry, borrowed a lot from real life.
I had no idea what Robin's cameo would be in this movie and it was the absolute highlight to me. OMG did I love his character in this. There isn't much to it that would make it have to be Robin. Almost anyone could've played this role and we probably wouldn't have noticed (that's funnier if you know his cameo). I'm not going to ruin it for anyone, as I legitimately want people to experience this as I did.
Overall, I liked the story so much. I loved the way characters in his books reflect reality and how they began to permeate that reality.
The film was hilarious throughout. I laughed a lot in this one.
WHAT I DIDN'T
I didn't like that I had to support a Woody Allen film, but that's a me problem.
Overall, I really liked this film. The pacing was uneven in places.
FAVORITE PARTS
I loved almost all of it. I really enjoyed this movie. Stand out moments to me are his interactions with his sister and the car ride to the award ceremony.
OTHER THOUGHTS
I would really like some kind of rule of what constitutes a Robin Williams Film from the lists I read and what does not. His cameo in this film is almost the exact same length as his cameo in To Wong Foo, but this film counts and that one doesn't? Very strange to me.