Crimes and Misdemeanors
PG-13
Oct 13, 1989
Comedy · Standard length that allows Allen's philosophical themes to develop without overstaying their welcome.
Critic darling
7.8/10
IMDb
92%
Fresh
77
77/100
Metacritic
🎬
7.4/10
TMDB
The brief
Allen's darkest comedy weaves two stories that feel like moral philosophy disguised as neurotic New York angst. Martin Landau delivers career-best work as a respected doctor spiraling into ethical collapse, while Allen plays his usual anxious filmmaker with surprising restraint. The pacing lets heavy themes breathe without losing Allen's signature wit, creating this unsettling balance between laughs and genuine dread. If you dig morally complex dramedies like The Squid and the Whale or can handle Allen examining guilt without easy answers, this is his most grown-up film.
morally complex
neurotic intellectualism
existential dread
darkly philosophical
upper-class angst
ethical collapse
The verdict
If you appreciate morally complex dramedies that blend dark philosophy with neurotic humor and can handle stories without clear moral resolutions, this is Allen's most mature and psychologically unsettling work. If you prefer straightforward comedies or need your protagonists to be likeable, the heavy themes of guilt and ethical collapse will feel more depressing than entertaining.
Watch with
- 👤 Solo viewing for deep contemplation
- 👫 Philosophy-loving couples for post-film discussion
- ⚠️ Skip if you prefer clear moral answers
Heads up
- Murder and moral justification themes (moderate)
- Adultery and relationship betrayal (moderate)
- Existential crisis and guilt (frequent)
Credits
- Director
- Woody Allen
- Cast
- Woody Allen, Martin Landau, Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, Anjelica Huston, Joanna Gleason, Sam Waterston
Official synopsis
A renowned ophthalmologist is desperate to cut off an adulterous relationship…which ends up in murder; and
