I'm Not With the In Crowd- Annie Hall Takes A Fall *

Rating: 3/10 (4 October 2006)

I was in the minority when I saw 1977's Oscar winner for best picture. I just didn't like. When it was on last night, I decided to give it a second chance. After all, it's 29 years since I saw it. Guess what? This time I hated it.
To begin with, I am tired of Woody Allen's attempt to philosophize life with his relationship with women and the fact that he is a self-deprecating Jew. He has constantly knocked the latter in many of his films. This is not appreciated.
In this film, he surprisingly knocks New York. He goes to California but that's not for him either. Basically speaking Mr. Allen, what is for you?
The plot here is weigh too thin. Allen plays the usual jerk in search of meaning for his life. Along the way, he meets Carol Kane at a Stevenson rally. He claims that what he wants to do with women is what Eisenhower has been doing to the country for 8 years. By the way, no one corrected the fact that Ike was not president for 2 terms when Stevenson ran against him. There are term limits since 1951 Woody!
The film is tedious and often full of clichés. How many times must we be remembered what Jews are thought of by mid-westerners?
I can't fathom how this stinker of a movie was given the Oscar for best picture. "The Turning Point," as well as "Star Wars," and "Julia," along with "The Goodbye Girl" were far superior films. Diane Keaton acted like a typical mid-west "shiksa." Her hats and clothing were outrageous. She did sing nicely. Nonetheless, Marsha Mason ("The Goodbye Girl") and Shirley MacLaine or Anne Bancroft were far better in "The Turning Point."
For my part, "Annie Hall" takes a mighty fall here. Allen suffers from going aimlessly through life. He is afraid to take a chance. Too bad that he did with this film.