One of the greatest romantic comedies of all time.

Rating: 10/10 (14 November 2012)

It seems somewhat insulting to describe 'Annie Hall' as a romantic comedy, simply because of what that genre implies. However, that's exactly what it is – one of the most intelligent, heart-warming and realistically raw romantic comedies of all time. It's consistently hilarious, it dissects the complexities and peculiarities of love apart so perfectly and the two lead characters are just magnificent. To call 'Annie Hall' timeless would be a complete understatement. It more than stands its ground against any of the cliché-ridden, populist garbage that passes for romance in Hollywood these days, simply by being so human.
What makes 'Annie Hall' so great is that it doesn't insult the intelligence of its audience or try to pretend that everything in the World is all chocolates and roses. The lead character, Alvy Singer (Woody Allen, in without a doubt his best role) is a condescending, neurotic, paranoid, spiteful, jealous little man who is wholly unable to make any sacrifices in his life or face up to change and progress. He's also sweet, charming, quaint, hilarious and thoroughly likable because in Alvy Singer is a little bit of everybody who's ever fallen in love and found themselves unable to move on. Annie (Diane Keaton) is the original 'girl next door'. She's committed, she's kind, she's generous, a bit kooky and – despite everything Alvy does to stop her from breaking free and becoming her own woman – she cares about him deeply. Their relationship is absolutely mesmerising and the chemistry between Allen and Keaton is simply perfect. It's impossible not to become invested in these characters because they are so well-written, so well- performed and so believable that the film's surrealism seems distinctly normal. On a number of occasions, the characters break the fourth wall and address the audience directly. After a while, you almost stop noticing that it's even happening because you're so involved in these characters' lives. The many creative techniques Allen utilises – from animation, to split-screen, mental subtitles and a cameo by Marshall McLuhan that left me in tears of laughter – keep the film current and fresh and were, for their time, highly innovative. The supporting characters, too, are brilliant little pastiches of real-life people that help the film flow so naturally. Seriously, I cannot heap enough praise on this film, it's just utterly wonderful.
However, even without all of that, Annie Hall would still be a pretty decent film because it's just so funny. It's one of Allen's best ever scripts and some of the interactions between the characters are hilarious. Unlike the countless attempts to rip it off, the humour in Annie Hall is subtle and intelligent. There's no pleasuring oneself with a pie or defecating in a sink here. It's just pure class and pure wit from start to finish. Similarly, the film isn't afraid to shock. Allen's analysis of the culture of both anti-Semitism and his beloved New York City is razor-sharp and some of the one-liners are hysterical (watch out for the joke about Alvy's grandma and the Cossacks, as an example). But ultimately, what makes 'Annie Hall' so great is that it is consistently bittersweet. We love Alvy, we love Annie and we love them both together. They're made for each other. Except, when push comes to shove, everybody knows, deep down in their hearts, that their relationship can never work. Allen's never been one for saccharine resolutions and 'Annie Hall' is no exception. It's the type of film you can watch again and again and again and never get bored because there's a little bit of Alvy and a little bit of Annie in every single one of us and the humour is so subtle that you're guaranteed to spot something new - a facial expression, a quirky little bit of cinematography or a killer one-liner - every single time.
If you think a film such as 'American Pie' or 'Superbad' is the best comedy ever made then perhaps Annie Hall won't be for you (though funnily enough, I think both of those films are reasonably enjoyable, so I don't want to generalise too much here) but if you're looking for a film that can explore love, loss, friendship, family and that sense of emptiness we all feel now and then, whilst also making you wet yourself laughing, then you can't go far wrong with this film.