by Nathan Wolfson

There is a new realism apparent in his latest comedy (now showing at the Broadway Cinema in Eureka and scheduled to arrive soon in Arcata). For example, Miro Sorvino is one of the most forwardly buxom casting moves (of a sympathetic role) Allen has ever made. This new comfort with things sensuous is reflected throughout the film.

Though his comedy's have often dealt with the idiosyncrasies of human sexuality, they have done so in a playful, neurotic, superficially flippant manner that belittles rather than confronts the anxieties many of us feel about bedroom gymnastics. Mighty Aphrodite is a partial break from this tradition. Sure, the wise-cracks are still there. But the humor has become tinged with an acknowledgment of reality. Dramatic (in addition to comedic) twists hinge on condoms, AIDS, and "weird sex" (that is not only spoken of facetiously but also semi-seriously).

The film presents other welcome shifts from traditional Allen fare. For example, the "first date" between Allen's boxer friend and Sorvino's character is perhaps the most realistic depiction of an awkward getting-to-know-you situation that Allen's oeuvre offers. It's hokey, but largely in the way that such situations actually are hokey. The scene is almost embarrassing to watch because it is played with such earnestness -- an uncommon occurrence in a Woody Allen comedy.

Overall, however, the notable elements in Mighty Aphrodite can't salvage what is, at heart, a faulty composition. Probably the most disappointing part of Mighty Aphrodite is the tidy, happily-ever-after ending. Allen ties each story line into a package with a cute red ribbon and sends the viewer on her way. This is probably the most nauseating cop-out in his work since the ending of the otherwise inspired Hannah and Her Sisters (one of my favorite Woody Allen films). He has since said that the Hannah ending was a mistake. Apparently he didn't learn the lesson.

Aficionados will flock to this film like they do to most of Woody Allen's films. Those expecting a traditional work from this prodigious craftsman will not be disappointed. There are certainly many humorous interludes -- and some new ground is broken delightfully. But following in the wake of the well- constructed Bullets Over Broadway, this latest effort -- while enjoyable -- is haphazardly constructed and unlikely to become a favorite with general audiences or with longtime fans.

Much has been made of Woody Allen depicting himself as the doting father of an adopted child in Mighty Aphrodite in light of the legal and public relations battles between he and Mia Farrow a couple of years ago. Suffice to say, this is such a minor plot device -- that is largely unexplored -- that it warrants little comment.

Similarly, the non-affair Allen's character in Husbands and Wives has with the college co-ed was exploited by the press as a reflection of Allen's improprieties. There was so little similarity between the two situations, one wonders whether the people drawing the comparisons understood -- or even saw -- the film.

But many critics notoriously attribute more reflection of the real world to Allen's work than is readily present. Witness the widespread contention that Crimes and Misdemeanors depicted the amoral character of the 1980s. The film primarily focused on a larger, negatively answered question: Is there a moral order to the cosmos for those who cannot commit a leap-of-faith and believe in one?

An analogous misconception appears to be brewing over Allen's latest work. Simply put, Mighty Aphrodite spends little time exploring Allen's feelings towards adoption. The film concentrates on adult affairs of the heart and speaks (implicitly) of adoption and fatherhood (mostly) through omission.