Small Time Crooks - 6

A 2000 Woody Allen comedy that is hilarious. It moves somewhat away from Allen's usual relationship type films and has a plot that can't help but be a critique of the stupidity of American culture. Mostly he is critical of the idea that "if you work hard you can get anything you want." The plot is rather simple, some New Yorkers that have barely graduated high school and have seen some heist films decide that they can do it. The cover for their digging into a bank, then takes off and they have no need for the crime. But they soon learn that high culture means laying off the take out food and crappy TV. Who wants that? The main couple, played by Allen and Tracey Ullman, soon higher a high culture art teacher, played by Hugh Grant, in order to become high class people. In the end, they find all of the glamour mostly a veneer, and return to their simple lives of complaining about how little money they have. It is funny and Allen has some of his best jokes in this film.