Annie Hall

Rating: 6/10 (24 April 2013)

"Annie Hall" is like a how-to book on the dos and don'ts of relationships. Well, not all relationships so much as Woody Allen's relationship with Diane Keaton, both of whom star in the film. This film is the most well known of Allen's "Woody Allen plays himself" films. The fact that the film was such a hit with American audiences in 1977 - and remains just as beloved today - is a testament to the film's legacy. That "Star Wars" performed so poorly is perhaps a bolder statement, though it is hardly the "better" film.
The editing and cinematography by Gordon Willis define "Annie Hall". Many shots in the film consist of long takes wherein the camera sweeps through the room, following Allen and Keaton as they have long conversations about every topic imaginable. Allen consistently breaks the fourth wall by either addressing the camera directly or by literally walking in to scenes from his past. The split-screen photography during some of these scenes is remarkable.
Both Allen and Keaton's personalities are so ingrained in their characters that it's a wonder why Allen didn't simply keep their first names the same while writing the script. I suppose it is all just a part of his sense of humor. This sense of humor pervades the film. Much of the jokes are more gags than jokes, centered on Allen's lofty soliloquies about the nature of death and the beauty of New York, as well as his frustration with people less intelligent than him, which seems to be everyone. For someone who enjoys this type of humor, "Annie Hall" will no doubt entertain. The fact is, though, this story (the story of love and loss) has been done before, many times, and with more subtlety and grace. Still, it is worth a watch.