Review of Manhattan (1979) by Jmh — 06 May 2012

Allen's best film. Among the standouts of American cinema in the post-studio era. Virtually perfect. The film's lifted to extraordinary heights by, among other things, a brilliant screenplay, careful direction, spectacular cinematography, and amazing performances from (particularly) Allen, Keaton, and Hemingway.

There's more beneath the (glittering) surface of "Manhattan" than any Allen film. At the center of it all is a captivating tension between romantic ideals -- the drive to satisfy them, and the hypocritical demand that others do the same -- and something of far less starry-eyed allure -- reality.

This tension is achieved in multiple, varied ways within the film. From the disconnect between the impeccable look of the film and the messes played out by the characters on screen, to the contrast between one character's surprisingly precocious authenticity and the world of disingenuous posturing that infects the remaining characters.

The question at the end of "Manhattan," when revelation may find reality triumphing over romanticism, and taking on a more enduring, humane, and compassionate value of its own, is whether enlightenment (if that's what is) has come too late.