Review of Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) by Ashley C — 14 Feb 2009

We learn the most about Mickey and Elliot, which is perhaps unsurprising, given that they're the two most obvious Woody analogues. Even so, there are a number of parallel arcs to be compared and contrasted throughout the movie - the Elliot-Hannah-Lee triangle vs.

the Mickey-Hannah-Holly triad; the fumbling-in-the-dark journeys both Mickey and Holly take; the fact that Mickey and Frederick both start in somewhat similar places but only one is able to move beyond.

All this could have been plodding and ponderous, but Allen keeps the pace brisk and the tone light but not frivolous throughout. I do think Elliot gets off too easy in the end - the character's so charming it's easy to overlook his immaturity or the fact that he really takes no part in correcting his situation and allows outside forces to do the work for him.

Interesting to note the similarities to Annie Hall and how some similar staging is used to illustrate very different aspects of the relationship equation a decade down the road.