The Curse of the Jade Scorpion

Name: The Curse of the Jade Scorpion
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Romance

United States, Germany · 2001
Rated PG-13 · 1h 43m
Director Woody Allen
Starring Dan Aykroyd, Helen Hunt, Woody Allen, Charlize Theron
Genre Comedy, Crime, Romance

CW Briggs is a veteran insurance investigator, with many successes. Betty Ann Fitzgerald is a new employee in the company he works for, with the task of reorganizing the office. They don't like each other - or at least that's what they think. During a night out with the rest of the office employees, they go to watch Voltan, a magician who secretly hypnotizes both of them.

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Entertainment Weekly by

It feels wrong; the entire machinery of the movie seems to be rotating around Woody Allen's vanity. He remains a canny (if, in this case, hollow) film craftsman, but by now we know him far too well to be asked to find him adorable.

Village Voice by Amy Taubin

Although there's no evidence of sexual chemistry on the screen, the stars share a certain physical defensiveness that occasionally makes them seem simpatico; most of the time, however, they just look bored to death.

New York Daily News by Jami Bernard

Lightweight, inoffensive fare, as bland as a sleepwalker under a hypnotist's spell.

Chicago Reader by Jonathan Rosenbaum

One thing I especially like about it, apart from the flavorsome 40s decor in color, is that it's silly in much the same way that many small 40s comedies were.

Los Angeles Times by Kenneth Turan

It would be dishonest to deny that Jade Scorpion has amusing moments, but it never gets better than that and often settles for less.

Austin Chronicle by Marc Savlov

Scorpion fails to connect on anything but the most basic comic level. Despite Allen's usual excellent direction, it all plays like a TV-movie version of something else, Allen-lite.

Baltimore Sun by Michael Sragow

The problem with Allen's latest, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, is "Not enough Double Indemnity."

USA Today by Susan Wloszczyna

Since a goodly portion of Jade is given over to the barbed banter lobbed by Allen and a solid Helen Hunt (in Stanwyck mode as a peevish efficiency expert who challenges his façade of male superiority), Woody the wordsmith is in full evidence, too.