Small Time Crooks
DreamWorks, 2000
Written and Directed by Woody Allen

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Woody Allen's 31st film Small Time Crooks is being heralded as a return to the zany, screw-ball style of his earliest films. In reality, the movie doesn't come close to topping the sheer gut-busting hilarity of movies like Bananas, Take the Money and Run or Sleeper, but it is very enjoyable and thoroughly amusing.

This time Woody plays, Ray, a low-life ex-con version of his usual screen persona who hatches a scheme to pull off the perfect heist. He teams with some of his would-be criminal pals (including Jon Lovitz) to rent out an empty storefront a few doors down from a bank. Their plan is to tunnel under to the vault, empty the joint, then fly off to Miami. As a front, Ray's wife, Frenchie (Tracey Ullman), sets up a cookie business in the shop front. The robbery plan goes very wrong, but the cookie shop is a wild success.

That's the taking-off point for what essentially becomes a fish-out-of-water, rags-to-riches tale about how a couple of crooks deal with sudden wealth and new high society friends. After a wacky start, the film's humor shifts into a more subtle, satirical mode. Along the way, they run into the very cultured Hugh Grant, who may, or may not be out to scam the scammers. We also meet Frenchie's cousin, May (Elaine May), who may or may not be a complete ding-bat.

Ullman and May are the keys to making it all work. For a change, it's nice to see Allen acting opposite a pair of over-40 female comic talents who can match him punchline for punchline. And we don't have to cringe at seeing him kiss Elisabeth Shue.

(c) Copyright 2000