Oh, Annie Hall. Men could live without women like you, but we want so much to be with you.
Annie Hall is the Academy Award winning film from Woody Allen. In his long career it is one of the three films he’s directed that has won best film. The film follows the life of Alvy Singer, the young comedian who was raised under a roller-coaster. It’s surprising then that the film is called Annie Hall.
Alvy has had his share of bad relationships over the years. In one of his relationships, he was more interested in JFK’s assassination than having intercourse. He has a tendency to get aggravated at the smallest events. Whether it be the smug movie goer spewing his opinion over films or charismatic, music managers swooning over his woman, Alvy has his share of ticks.
Then, one day, it happens. At a couples tennis match he meets Annie Hall. Annie let’s the audience into her mind, letting us know of her insecurities and interest in Alvy. Everything seems lovely, trapping lobsters together and enjoying the same movies. Alvy has a problem with being happy, trying to change Annie to be his perfect image of a woman. He convinces Annie to start taking adult education classes because he questions her intelligence. He also suddenly realizes that Annie must smoke weed in order to enjoy sex. It’s the little things that will undermine his life.
This film has been on my watch list for years. It could be argued that in the last year, Woody Allen has released his best film in twenty years, with Midnight in Paris. More than ever I wanted to see the film that started it all. I’m not sure Allen’s approach, narrating his experiences, was new for the time or not. Certainly it has been used countless times since. As in most films of this ilk, its the experiences the couple share that are the most memorable. I’ve been in the same situation when attacking spiders that’s for sure.
Diane Keaton won an Oscar for best actress in a leading role for playing Annie Hall. Whereas she was excellent in the Godfather films, Annie Hall allowed the audience to explore her as the centerpiece in a feature. Struggling with her own feelings of love and a journey of personal growth, she’s unsure of what she really wants in her life. Alvy convinced Annie to change and in doing so, she grew apart from him.
Annie Hall is deserving of much of the praise it has received over the years. I haven’t seen enough of Woody Allen’s films to accurately rate them, but I’d love to see more from this era of his career. Examining relationships Alvy Singer wonders, “Well, I guess that’s pretty much now how I feel about relationships; y’know, they’re totally irrational, and crazy, and absurd, and… but, uh, I guess we keep goin’ through it because, uh, most of us… need the eggs.” Even though relationships are crazy, most of us need them.
4 Hearts / 5
[Film 1 in the 2012 Blind Spot Series]