Happy '09! I was actually watching this when the year changed and I'm not at all sad that I missed seeing the ball drop. It's a somewhat neglected but highly recommended Woody Allen film. This was one of his many homages to New York, as well as to Hitchcock movies. And if you're thinking Woody Allen can't do Hitchcock, he actually pulls it off surprisingly well. It helps that he has a great cast. Angelica Huston is perfect for her role as a writer with sex appeal who teaches Allen how to play poker and is constantly chain smoking. Jerry Adler is really quite good as the stamp-collecting neighbor who turns out to be a devious murderer. Adler is a true "that guy" actor, who always does well in bit roles. He played Hersh Rabkin (Tony's Jewish adviser) on the Sopranos. Zach Braff actually made his debut in Manhattan Murder Mystery as Allen and Diane Keaton's son. If you're a fan of Allen movies then I recommend this one. It holds its own as both a Allen film with his brilliant-as-usual dialogue and as a mystery. The movie opens with a fantastic song, "I Happen to Like New York" by Cole Porter, as performed by Bobby Short.Grade: B+
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