Manhattan Murder Mystery

FULL MOON SLEEPOVER

Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Alan Alda, Angelica Huston
Duration: 104 minutes
Year of Production: 1993

At first glance, Manhattan Murder Mystery appears as a lighthearted, carefree mystery set against the familiar metropolitan backdrop characteristic of Woody Allen’s films. Featuring a trio of middle-aged protagonists who seek to escape boredom and momentarily recapture their youth by solving a crime, the film ultimately unfolds as one of Allen’s clearest and most insightful satires on human relationships and the inevitable decay brought by time.

Interestingly, the film’s central mystery was originally written as a full subplot (lasting about an hour) for Husbands and Wives, but Allen chose to omit it from the final cut. Nevertheless, the comedic reunion of Woody Allen with Diane Keaton—his romantic partner in that iconic movie—proves to be both delightful and rewarding, with every shared scene underscoring the powerful chemistry and warm familiarity between the two actors. Allen himself regards Manhattan Murder Mystery as one of his best works, and rightly so. Loukas Katsikas