So Neurotic; So Glorious.

Rating: 9/10 (12 May 2015)

I never would have expected to like Woody Allen. There is just something about his nasally voice that sets the expectation of boredom. When watching Annie Hall for the first time I wasn't really sure what to expect. I knew this was a film about a man and a woman and I knew it was set in New York City, though beyond that I assumed I was either about to watch an hour and a half of neurosis or an existential art film. It turns out I was right. What I was wrong about is how much I enjoyed it. There are so many unconventional storytelling methods used here. Despite many of them now considered being trite, breaking the fourth wall, they all feel original in this 1977 classic.
The general plot of Annie Hall wasn't particularly interesting, but the characters created and the conversations are strong enough to make the story feel fresh and clever. There are plenty of gags here that turn this romantic comedy into a film that will make you forget you're watching a romantic comedy. In a traditional sense of course since modern romantic comedies have soured the term.
Annie Hall has opened the door to Woody Allen for me. I'm not sure if I'll like anything I find inside, but what I do know is that I'm interested to see what else I can find from a director that I've ignored for far too long.