Mighty Aphrodite

Lenny, a New York sports journalist, is married to Amanda, an art gallery owner whose career leaves no room for pregnancy. Pressured into adoption, the couple takes in a baby boy, Max, who grows into a remarkably gifted child. Uneasy in his marriage and curious about where his son's intelligence comes from, Lenny sets out to find the boy's biological mother, hoping she will prove equally exceptional.

He eventually traces her to Linda Ash, a warm-natured sex worker and adult-film performer. Rather than a brilliant counterpart, Lenny finds someone far removed from his expectations, and he involves himself in her life in an attempt to change it. Their meetings unfold against commentary from a chorus that ties the story to Greek mythology.

Woody Allen directed, wrote and stars as Lenny, with Mira Sorvino as Linda Ash and Helena Bonham Carter as Amanda. It is the twenty-third of the forty-eight films he has directed, following Bullets Over Broadway and preceding Everyone Says I Love You. Produced by Robert Greenhut for Miramax, Jean Doumanian Productions and Sweetland Films, it runs 95 minutes and cost about 15 million dollars, returning roughly 26 million worldwide. On IMDb it holds 7 out of 10 from 45,000 votes, with 6.7 out of 10 on TMDB from 757 votes, and critics gave it 7 out of 10 across 37 reviews.