Overview
A novelist grapples with his chaotic life as he faces the consequences of his past choices.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- abrasive
- witty
- sardonic
- late night cinephile viewing
- woody allen retrospective
What critics said
Critics generally found the film provocative, complex, abrasive, and frequently very funny, while recognizing its challenging self-referential approach.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Scenes from Harry's novels and stories pass into the present and interact directly with him.
Harry thinly veils his experiences in fiction, forcing ex-wives, lovers, relatives, and former acquaintances to face their fictionalized selves.
Harry's literary success contrasts with writer's block, pill use, infidelity, failed commitments, and alienation from family.
The film presents Harry's unapologetic conduct and sexually frank stories as both comic material and sources of real harm.
Films like Deconstructing Harry, and why
Stardust Memories
self-reflexive writer protagonist, neurotic urban comedy, abrasive wit, and blurred boundaries between fiction and lived experience
Hannah and Her Sisters
metafictional storytelling, romantic dysfunction, intellectual comedy, and an emotionally guarded author figure
Deconstructing Harry
fictionalized autobiographical humor, sexually frank relationship drama, and a sardonic examination of artistic self-absorption
Adaptation.
surreal literary self-examination, unreliable reality, and darkly comic confrontation with personal relationships
Movie Details
- Director
- Woody Allen
- Release Date
- 1997-12-12
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (1074)
Cast
- Woody Allen
- Judy Davis
- Kirstie Alley
- Elisabeth Shue
- Billy Crystal
- Bob Balaban
- Hazelle Goodman
- Eric Lloyd
- Caroline Aaron
- Richard Benjamin
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Deconstructing Harry about?
- A caustic novelist's fictional alter egos materialize as he confronts the wreckage his art and appetites have left across his personal life.
- What is Deconstructing Harry like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Deconstructing Harry as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Deconstructing Harry violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Deconstructing Harry.
- What did critics think of Deconstructing Harry?
- Critics generally found the film provocative, complex, abrasive, and frequently very funny, while recognizing its challenging self-referential approach.
- Which films are like Deconstructing Harry?
- Films with a similar feel include Stardust Memories, Hannah and Her Sisters, Deconstructing Harry, and Adaptation..
- How long is Deconstructing Harry?
- Deconstructing Harry runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Deconstructing Harry?
- In United States, Deconstructing Harry is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
