Review: Annie Hall

The story of neurotic New York comedy writer Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) and his romantic relationships, focussing mostly on his involvement with struggling singer Annie Hall (Diane Keaton), whom he meets at a tennis match, followed by the most uncomfortably awkward conversation you’ve ever heard. Carol Kane and Janet Margolin play Alvy’s two ex-wives, Tony Roberts is Alvy’s actor best friend, Colleen Dewhurst is Annie’s mother, with Christopher Walken as Annie’s troubled brother, whilst John Glover cameos as a pretentious ex-boyfriend.

 

If not the best film directed by Woody Allen (“Manhattan”, “Hannah and Her Sisters”, “Hollywood Ending”), then certainly one of the top two (For me, it’s a toss-up between this and “Deconstructing Harry”, which might just have the slightest edge), this 1977 film from the director and his co-writer Marshall Brickman (“Manhattan”, “Manhattan Murder Mystery”) has lots of clever moments and great lines that come thick and fast. My favourite line? ‘Hey, don’t knock masturbation. It’s sex with someone I love’. The line about an Alice Cooper concert is great too. It probably has more memorable moments in it than any other Allen film, including;

 

- The first time we see Diane Keaton here, she’s wearing a dress. Pay close attention, because you’ll rarely see her wearing anything other than men’s clothing until maybe the 1990s. Yes, I do consider this a memorable moment, thank you very much.

 

- The bit where Woody’s character observes a pretentious Fellini critic ranting has a great punchline when Woody literally brings Marshall McLuhan into it.

 

- Only a character played by Woody Allen would use a JFK conspiracy to get out of sex with a woman. Genius.

 

- Woody and Keaton have perhaps the most awkward conversation in cinematic history after they first meet at a tennis game. It’s cute.

 

- A funny scene has subtitles expressing what Woody and Keaton are really saying when having a conversation. It’s so clever I’m surprised it doesn’t get stolen more often by other filmmakers.

 

- There’s a clever visual gag where Keaton literally leaves her body during sex with Woody, becoming removed from it.

 

- A split-screen of Keaton’s family having a meal and Woody’s family having a meal, and then the two finally interact.

 

- A startling early role for Christopher Walken as Keaton’s clearly depressed and unstable brother.

 

- An insane animated it where Woody imagines being romantically involved with The Wicked Queen from “Snow White”. What the hell?

 

- Woody’s unfortunate and very funny bad reaction to cocaine.

 

This isn’t the only film to have the Woody Allen-Diane-Keaton-Tony Roberts character dynamic, but I think this is the best usage of that basic character dynamic. The best thing about the entire film is that, although Keaton has been more likeable elsewhere, the title character and Woody’s character are both likeable and easy to take. Roberts is really good here, as always. Meanwhile, I have no idea if that’s really Keaton’s singing voice at one point, but if it is, she can clearly sing, though the moment itself is a comedic one.

 

If I have anything negative to say about the film, it’s that it might be about ten minutes too short. It feels just a tad underdone, I think. Lots of cameos (including Tracey Walter, John Glover, and Beverly D’Angelo), but you’ll have to look real hard for Sigourney Weaver, and Jeff Goldblum’s only on screen long enough to tell someone that he has lost his mantra. What the hell was THAT all about? Paul Simon, I swear, looks exactly like beloved sleazy computer game character Leisure Suit Larry.

 

It’s not a perfect film or a masterpiece, and not all of the one-liners hit, but this is still a really enjoyable film. Even if like me, you’re not really a Woody Allen fan, there’s a lot to enjoy here. The two main stars are far more likeable here than in some of their other pairings, and there’s some very clever and funny moments, ideas and lines. It still isn’t better than “Star Wars”, though.

 

Rating: B-