Review of Annie Hall (1977) by Andy B — 15 Nov 2013

(***1/2) Self-indulgent doesn't even begin to describe Annie Hall. Woody Allen essentially was given a movie camera and told he could do whatever he wanted, and this movie solidified his indie cred. No doubt his freedom was given in part because he'd written an absolutely amazing script. Though maybe not the funniest or most relatable piece of work, it has an undeniable originality which even today seems quirky and fresh. It's rare that a film which has so much goofy banter and breaking of the fourth wall also covers such serious topics of psychology and sadness. Allen took his public persona and made a movie out of it.

There isn't much of a plot description needed here, because the plot is explained in a jumbled order and we're told in the opening narrative that he recently broke up with her. The rest is just a film which tours the audience through several "highlights" of the relationship, both good and bad. It's like we're the therapist and Allen has come in to try to explain why he thinks the relationship went south. He also admits at the beginning that he is not a reliable narrator, as his attention is easily diverted and he has a vivid imagination. His take on the story is more important to the theme of the film than the actual outcome.

I think this is what puts Annie Hall on the cusp of greatness: the wonderfully quotable analyses by Allen's character about life and relationships. He starts with what is probably the most brilliant. His love life is like the old joke about a man who "wouldn't want to be in any club that would have me as a member." He closes the film with another joke reference, but I'll leave that one for you to hear.

We have to wonder in a film this personal if the main character is truly fictional or if Allen just put himself on paper and then acted like himself. If so, it paints him as an incredibly neurotic and usually misunderstood funny man. The television show Seinfeld owes a ton to this movie, because it's a showcase of how funny normal life can be, especially when dealing with depraved or quirky people. That said, it is not pure comedy. It's more like a long running monologue of complaining and analyzing with jokes thrown in to induce laughs. On second thought, that's the definition of stand-up comedy. So maybe this is comedy in its purest form, the form which makes you laugh mostly because you relate to exactly what the speaker is trying to say.