Review of Manhattan (1979) by Samuel J — 20 Jun 2009

"She's 17. I'm 42 and she's 17. I'm older than her father, can you believe that? I'm dating a girl, wherein, I can beat up her father.".

Director: Woody Allen.

Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemingway.

Running time: 96 minutes.

Country: USA.

This is an absolutely brilliant film! I was surprised that I liked this more than Annie Hall. I think the reason I did was because it was funnier and more magical. The way Manhattan was in the 1970s and the way the city was filmed was absolutely incredible. It was so incredible that it really looked magical. I think the reason for that was because it was filmed in black-and-white because if it was in colour it would have just looked like ordinary New York City. Manhattan is a very light hearted film that I think is definitely one of the best romantic comedies of all time.

Seeing Woody Allen and Diane Keaton as the two leading roles again in a romantic comedy makes it look like some sort of sequel to Annie Hall but it isn't like it at all because the plot is totally different and so are all of the characters. Manhattan is a darker film than Annie Hall but more magical when it comes to its filming. I think Manhattan is Woody Allen's only black-and-white film and I think that he should have made some more black-and-white films because Manhattan proved that he can do it. Woody Allen is really good at playing a character with a big heart but can be a bit of a dorky idiot which he is in both Manhattan and Annie Hall. Diane Keaton is an absolutely brilliant actress anyway but her performance in Manhattan made her even better than she already was. Meryl Streep makes a short supporting appearance as Isaac's ex-wife Jill Davis who has turned lesbian and left him for a woman.

Allen has been the best director of romantic-comedies and it is as simple as that. He is an absolutely astonishing filmmaker with a talent for making films that involve love and comedy. Manhattan is a really good black-and-white romantic comedies that deserves to be one of the best of that genre.