A witty, lightly surreal comedy with a strong central performance from Mira Sorvino and a playful Greek-chorus conceit. It’s clever, breezy, and often very funny, but the film’s self-satisfied neuroticism and dated gender politics may wear thin depending on your tolerance for Woody Allen’s style.
45% ★★☆☆☆ (72,227)
Mighty Aphrodite
Where to watch: Amazon
Movie · Comedy · Romance · R
1995 · 1h 35m · ★ 45% (72.2K)
Of all human weaknesses, obsession is the most dangerous, and the silliest!
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Mira Sorvino, Helena Bonham Carter
Overview
When Lenny and his wife, Amanda, adopt a baby, Lenny realizes that his son is a genius and becomes obsessed with finding the boy's biological mother in hopes that she will be brilliant too. But when he learns that Max's mother is Linda Ash, a kindhearted prostitute and porn star, Lenny is determined to reform her immoral lifestyle. A Greek chorus chimes in to relate the plot to Greek mythology in this quirky comedy.
Director
Woody Allen
Production
Miramax, Jean Doumanian Productions, Sweetland Films
Cast
Woody Allen, Mira Sorvino, Helena Bonham Carter, F. Murray Abraham, Donald Symington, Claire Bloom, Olympia Dukakis, Michael Rapaport, David Ogden Stiers, Jack Warden, Peter Weller, Danielle Ferland, Paul Giamatti, Tony Sirico, Pamela Blair, Rene Ceballos, Elie Chaib, George De La Pena, Joanne DiMauro, Denise Faye
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A witty, lightly surreal comedy with a strong central performance from Mira Sorvino and a playful Greek-chorus conceit. It’s clever, breezy, and often very funny, but the film’s self-satisfied neuroticism and dated gender politics may wear thin depending on your tolerance for Woody Allen’s style.
Best for
fans of 1990s character-driven comedies
viewers who like mythological or theatrical framing devices
people interested in Mira Sorvino’s Oscar-winning performance
audiences who enjoy neurotic urban relationship comedies
Skip if
you dislike Woody Allen’s persona-driven writing
you want a more emotionally grounded romance
you’re sensitive to dated sexual politics or moralizing
you prefer fast-paced comedies with broader jokes
Overview
Mighty Aphrodite is one of Woody Allen’s more inventive late-period comedies, using a Greek chorus to turn a messy modern story into something closer to a comic fable. The structure gives the film a light, playful rhythm, and the jokes land best when the movie leans into its own absurdity rather than its self-importance.
Worth noting
Mira Sorvino is the reason to see it. She gives Linda Ash a mix of brashness, vulnerability, and sweetness that keeps the film alive even when the script circles the same ideas too long. Helena Bonham Carter also adds a cool counterweight, and the supporting cast helps sell the film’s odd tonal balance.
Bottom line
Still, this is very much a Woody Allen film: talky, self-regarding, and built around a familiar neurotic male lead whose worldview can feel narrow. If you enjoy his blend of romantic comedy, intellectual play, and moral farce, it’s an easy recommendation. If not, the charm may be too uneven to fully overcome the baggage.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Sam (4★) · 240 likes
Ok this movie was genuinely amazing, and so comedically genius. It’s so creative, and so many lines had me laughing so hard. I just had way too much fun while watching this. To all the asshole pricks that say that Mira Sorvino didn’t deserve her Oscar really don’t get TRUE👏COMEDIC👏TALENT👏
Kylo (3.5★) · 182 likes
Kudos to Mira Sorvino for winning that Oscar while holding that ridiculous voice all the way through. True comedic talent. A forgotten Woody Allen gem that really did impress me. Probably the first time I’ve seen Helena Bonham Carter play a regular role rather than a witch or a murderess too.
Dylan (4★) · 150 likes
Mira Sorvino's range is exemplified by her ability to blend comedy and drama with both ridiculous, over-the-top scenes and serious, soul-searching moments. Her ferocity in front of the camera can be hilarious at times, but also serious and real at other times, and can reduce you to tears in an instant. Even if she portrays her character as someone who is in complete control of her surroundings, she is frequently detached from what is actually going on, watching from the
kheyc (3.5★) · 139 likes
Spanish version... No sé que tan orgánicas se sientan las referencias modernas hacia la mitología griega en la vida de un inseguro cronista deportivo, pero las intervenciones de estos seres "divinos" burlándose de su miseria fueron graciosísimas. Ahora bien para mí, Mira Sorvino se roba todo el show como la parlanchina y desinhibida Linda, si es que ese es su nombre real jajajaj. Saben, durante los noventa se volvió una tendencia premiar actuaciones cómicas y ahora que lo pienso no… more