Whatever Works

Right now you can watch Whatever Works on Amazon Prime Video — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 1,854 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Larry David sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason Whatever Works keeps coming up in conversation. Whatever Works gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Whatever Works explores the relationship between a crotchety misanthrope, Boris and a naïve, impressionable young runaway from the south, Melody. When Melody's uptight parents arrive in New York to rescue her, they are quickly drawn into wildly unexpected romantic entanglements. Everyone discovers that finding love is just a combination of lucky chance and appreciating the value of "whatever works." Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2009. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Whatever Works holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Whatever Works is a strong candidate. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Larry David's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.