Movie · 1993 · Comedy, Mystery · 1h 44m · PG · English
Curator score: 7.1/10 (50.6K ratings)
Who killed who?
Overview
A middle-aged couple suspects foul play when their neighbor's wife suddenly drops dead.
Ratings
Curator score: 7.1/10
IMDb: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Metacritic: 71
TMDB: 7.3/10
Director
Woody Allen
Production
TriStar Pictures, Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions
Cast
Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Jerry Adler, Alan Alda, Anjelica Huston, Lynn Cohen, Melanie Norris, Zach Braff, Joy Behar, Ron Rifkin, John Doumanian, Sylvia Kauders, Ira Wheeler, Marge Redmond, George J. Manos, Aida Turturro, John Costelloe, Philip Levy, Wendell Pierce, Steven Randazzo
Curator Review
Verdict
A breezy, low-stakes mystery-comedy with strong chemistry between the leads, sharp neurotic banter, and enough Hitchcockian playfulness to keep it lively. It’s less about solving a puzzle than enjoying the couple’s escalating amateur sleuthing and the comic friction around them.
Best for
fans of witty relationship comedies
viewers who like light mystery plots
people in the mood for a cozy, rainy-night watch
audiences who enjoy urban, dialogue-driven films
Skip if
you want a tightly engineered whodunit
you dislike Woody Allen’s persona or style
you prefer high-energy comedy
you want a thriller with real suspense or danger
Overview
This is one of those easy-to-slip-into movies that feels built for a late evening on the couch. The mystery is deliberately modest, but the pleasure comes from the rhythm of the dialogue, the domestic bickering, and the way the film turns ordinary suspicion into a comic pastime for a long-married couple.
Worth noting
Diane Keaton gives the movie its warmth and momentum, while Woody Allen leans into his familiar anxious, overtalkative persona in a way that fits the material well. The film borrows from Hitchcock without becoming a pastiche; it uses the framework of a suspense story mainly to expose character, vanity, and marital habits.
Bottom line
If you want a clever, lightly screwball urban comedy with a side of intrigue, it delivers. If you need a mystery with real twists and stakes, it will probably feel more like a charming diversion than a revelation.
Top Letterboxd reviews
demi adejuyigbe · 404 likes
“We may need some information here so, I’ll take good care of you if you play ball with us. What are you making a face for, he was the father of our country.”
Woody Allen the LeBron James of being damn annoying. Elon Musk was in college with a creased Woody poster scotch taped to the wall, praying to one day go pro. Not much of a real "mystery" per se. 99% of the movie feels so loose with handheld shots and overlapping dialogue and then they slip in some shockingly beautiful cinematography in the third act!
🇵🇱 Steve G 🐝 (4.5★) · 356 likes
Of course, no film is perfect. Especially not one that has an unexpected Zach Braff sighting.
But there are some films that are perfect for a particular time of day and atmosphere. Manhattan Murder Mystery is a perfect rainy afternoon film. Cup of tea. Nice big plump pillow. Heating on warm, but not too warm. And there you have it. You're well set. Then if you're not already comfortable enough, this film will certainly do it for you.
It's not… more
g (3.5★) · 296 likes
"I can't listen to that much Wagner, you know? I start to get the urge to conquer Poland."
Michael James (3.5★) · 219 likes
It is quite a simple and accessible black comedy-mystery from Woody Allen. Its that rare movie of his, where characters, their performances and storyline impress you more, rather than his dialogues. The exaggeration and the ridiculous nature of it is what contributes to the majority of the fun. An enjoyable watch.
Ian Curran (3★) · 201 likes
Allen attempts a Hitchcock impression in a very Woody way.
Alternative Titles:—Rear Weirdo—Dial P for Pervert—Paedo—The Man who Touched too Much—Rape—No Shadow of a Doubt—To Catch a Peak —North by North(sex)pest—Stalkers on a Train
1984 · Comedy, Drama · 1h 24m · PG · Curator 7.8/10 (52K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM Plus, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Another offbeat New York comedy that balances melancholy, charm, and comic momentum.