Review of Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) by Drew S — 12 Nov 2009

This was lovely, and I was so ready to dismiss it because it starts out just like every other fucking Woody Allen film ever, stuffed full of noxious intellectualism and older men dating pretty younger women. Watching this, however, I came to the realization that Allen is sort of a proto-Diablo Cody, stuffing his screenplays with self-indulgent stylistic references that can distract and grate, but that don't necessarily compromise the quality of what's going on around them. Despite the upper-class white elitism on display here, this is perhaps his most scathing deconstruction of it...although two out of three of the main offenders get what they want here, I'm willing to allow him his concessions, as with Tarantino. The man's a pervert, but he's one who understands people, if Hannah and her Sisters is any indication. His strongest writing is on display here, in a gallery of voluminous, rich characters, deepened by tiny sight gags and quiet moments instead of heavy dialogue. You walk away with detailed portraits of all three sisters and the men who love(d) them.

I'm glad this came along when it did, because if this hadn't worked I would have just called off my attempts to like Woody Allen entirely. As it is, I still wouldn't call him a favorite, simply because his scope isn't quite what I look for in films. He operates very well in his wheel house, and never better than he does here, though it all would surely be lost without the generosity of all of his performers. Everyone is in top form here; Mia Farrow is downright heartbreaking as a woman whose self-sufficiency actually hurts the people around her; Dianne Wiest exemplifies a woman torn, the victim of pathological bad luck who tries to keep a smile on but can barely fight back the tears; Barbara Hershey has a talent for portraying guilt and longing in the same downcast glance. Michael Caine's rigid joy is almost depressing to watch, even if the character himself isn't terribly sympathetic, and Max von Sydow is surprisingly effective in a very limited role. The only person I didn't care for is - surprise! - Woody Allen. SAME FUCKING CHARACTER. Stay behind the damn camera.

Also, are there ever any minorities in his movies, or what?