Review of Annie Hall (1977) by Mattbrady99 — 27 Aug 2020

Annie Hall: "It's so clean out here.".

Alvy Singer: "That's because they don't throw their garbage away, they turn it into television shows." If someone ever asked me what some of the best screenplays are out there, the first would be ‘PulpAnnie Hall: "It's so clean out here.".

Alvy Singer: "That's because they don't throw their garbage away, they turn it into television shows.".

If someone ever asked me what some of the best screenplays are out there, the first would be ‘Pulp Fiction’ and the second being ‘Annie Hall’. A remarkable movie, unlike anything before or since. The visual storytelling adds to the sharp comedic charm. A prime example of life imitates art.

‘Annie Hall’ is a romantic comedy that defies movie conventions. It’s no Hollywood fluff, nor is it a depressing soap drama. It’s a movie that looks at the ups and downs of relationships, because relationships aren't that black and white. It finds the right balance that you rarely get. It politely destroys your fantasies by introducing a little reality.

I know Woody Allen is a controversial figure, especially in our times, but I will be dishonest to myself if I did not think this guy is a freaking genius, in terms of his film making and writing.

The chemistry between Annie (Diane Keaton) and Alvy (Woody Allen) can be best described as complicated. Alvy is an New York Jew who thinks out loud about his likes and dislikes with a timorous attitude, which 16 years of therapy seems to keep him grounded. While Annie is a Midwestern girl who is aspired to be a singer. An unlikely relationship that you would not expect to see, but a memorable one either way. The brilliant thing about it is that you totally believe in the relationship.

Diane Keaton was absolutely mesmerising in this movie and deserved that Oscar win for her performance. There’s a scene in this movie where we see Annie sing the song ‘Seems Like Old Times’ at a bar in a two-minute uncut shot. No cut away to the audience reactions or anything, the camera is locked onto her and the film lets the song play out. Besides her beautiful singing voice, she is doing some of the best eye acting I have ever seen. Watching it felt like a hypnosis, it puts you in a trance.

The writing and directing from Woody Allen were just superb. It is a “lighting in a bottle” type of situation that not even Allen himself could top it, nor does he need to. There is not a line unquotable or a word wasted. The visual gags are simply hilarious and extremely clever. The jokes themselves are not played for cheap laughs, but because there are funny and sometimes go beyond that.

The movie doesn’t just focus on relationships, but narcissism, drugs, politics, and religion in 70’s society. Whatever was on Allen’s mind at the time that he could not contain in his head.