Annie Hall set a new standard for romantic comedies, its name alone becoming synonymous with the sub-genre of the intelligent, New York-based romantic comedy.

Rating: 10/10 (17 December 2009)

Annie Hall is perhaps the best example of Allen's early work, and one of his most popular films; winning numerous awards. In it against the neuroses of New York and Los Angeles, a Jewish comedian (Woody Allen) has an affair with a mid-western girl (Diane Keaton).
The film is a semi-serious collage of jokes and bits of technique, some of the former very funny and some of the latter very successful. A hugely appealing film, it was a box-office smash, and turned its creator, of whom it is very typical, from a cult performer to a superstar. Allen had previously been known as a maker of zany comedies; the director has described Annie Hall as "a major turning point", as it brought a new level of seriousness to his work. The narrative supposedly mirrors the real-life affair of the stars, who separated before the film came out (Keaton's family name is Hall).