Mighty Aphrodite, the 26th movie Woody Allen directed, is a return to form.

It’s a more focused, clever film, which – amidst the previous couple of dogs, and followed by another couple of really awful movies – makes it stand out like a diamond on black velvet.

Which is not to say Mighty Aphrodite is the best Woody Allen movie. In fact, it’s probably right about in the middle, perhaps just a tad above average.

Even at that, it’s a far better movie than most made these days.

Mighty Aphrodite is the story of a New York couple – Lenny Weinrib, a sportswriter (Woody Allen) and Amanda, his S.O. (Helena Bonham Carter) – who decide to adopt a child.

At one point, Lenny starts to feel disenchanted with his relationship (big surprise there, right?) and he seeks out the adopted boy’s real mother, who turns out to be a hooker/porn star named Linda Ash (Mira Sorvino, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance).

Woody has a knack for writing bimbo characters, and Mira Sorvino’s character is, perhaps, the most bimbo-like of any he wrote to date.

Woody is definitely Woody in this film, with all of his nervous mannerisms and stuttering on full display.

And it works. It’s actually funny.

For example, as Lenny and Linda sit on the couch in her apartment (he’s there to see what she looks alike and who she is, not to sleep with her), she strokes his hair and this exchange occurs:

Linda: You’re married, aren’t you?

Lenny: How can you tell that?

Linda: Because you’ve got that look.

Lenny: That look? W-w-what look is that?

Linda: That look like it’s been a long time since you’ve had a great blowjob.

Lenny: (nervous laughter) Oh, that look. I can understand…

Cute little Woody all nervous and giggling on the couch with Mira running her fingers through his hair is a priceless sight. Classic Woody Allen.

The rest of the film is Lenny and Linda getting to know one another as Lenny takes her out for lunch, or with him to a horse race, as he pries more information from her about her past and if she ever thought about having a child. A relationship builds between them – a strange May-December, nebbish-and-hooker relationship. But a relationship nonetheless.

Do Lenny and Linda get together in the end?

Does Jerry Bender (Peter Weller) succeed in bedding Lenny’s wife Amanda?

Does Linda end up with someone else that she meets along the way, in a Deux ex Machina sort of way?

You’ll just have to watch and see.

Accompanying the action on screen is a Greek chorus that chants plot points and insightful questions from time to time.

A very young Paul Giamatti appears in the film, too. Briefly.

Woody was 60 when Mighty Aphrodite was released.