THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, November 23, 1995            TAG: 9511240252
SECTION: DAILY BREAK              PAGE: E8   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Movie review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   51 lines

``APHRODITE'' IS A MUST FOR WOODY FANS ONLY

MINOR WOODY ALLEN, and ``Mighty Aphrodite'' is minor Woody Allen, is still funnier than most other films around.

In a mischievous bent, the writer/director/star creates a little melodrama about a sportswriter (himself) and his young wife (Helena Bonham Carter) who decide to adopt. (The minute ``adopt'' is mentioned, the audience howls.) She wants to name the boy Phineas. He wants Groucho. They settle on Max.

It isn't long before Allen wants to learn about Max's background. He gets an eyeful. The mother turns out to be a blond, beautiful and very dumb prostitute (Mia Sorvino). With every passing scene, her qualifications for motherhood get worse. She's involved with drugs. She's a porno star with bad taste in clothes and household furnishing.

He decides to find a mate for her, and picks an equally dumb boxer (Michael Rapaport). These are very funny characters, but they could have been funnier if Allen hadn't chosen to be more Freudian. Rapaport is wonderfully boyish and disarming. Sorvino is a ``Born Yesterday'' style blonde who is being credited with more than she delivers. There is talk of a supporting actress Oscar nomination. It will happen only in a weak year.

The film is often interrupted by a Greek chorus led by Olympia Dukakis and F. Murray Abraham. This conceit will be of more interest to academics than to the average filmgoer.

Allen is too old for the part, but it is a comedy after all, and his aging befuddlement is part of the ruse. The references, no matter how distant, to his scandalous real life are mercilessly picked up by the audience.

``Mighty Aphrodite'' is required viewing for Allen fans. Those who aren't won't be converted. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

MOVIE REVIEW

``Mighty Aphrodite''

Cast: Woody Allen, Mia Sorvino, Michael Rapaport, Helena Bonham

Carter, Olympia Dukakis, F. Murray Abraham, Claire Bloom, Jack

Warden, Peter Weller

Director/writer: Woody Allen

MPAA rating:

Mal's rating: Three stars

Location: Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach

by CNB