Annie Hall

It’s impossible to talk about a Woody Allen film without first addressing the man himself. He is a problematic figure in his personal life, and much debate can be had around that, but that’s for another time. This review focuses on my thoughts on his film and solely him as a filmmaker. Annie Hall is a masterpiece. It is, without exaggeration, one of the most ingenious films I’ve ever come across. Allen’s approach to the story is wholly distinctive and — stylistically and formally — flawless, occasionally using split screens, long takes, and breaking the fourth wall, just to name a few. Allen maintains a musical rhythm to each cut and scene progression, a fast tempo to the back-and-forth dialogue, a laid-back yet always tightly restrained pace, and the list goes on and on. Some may argue that this film is pretentious, and I wouldn’t disagree, but when he makes a film this authentic and cinematically unconventional, I don’t mind at all. It’s a romantic comedy, but it’s a very specific kind of romantic comedy that I’ve never seen before and will likely never see again.