Annie Hall
1977 · Directed by Woody Allen
Original language: English
- comedy
- drama
- romance
The story
New York comedian Alvy Singer falls in love with the ditsy Annie Hall.
What it’s like
Warm, hazy New York winter light with a restless, talky energy, the kind of film that feels like sitting in a crowded Manhattan apartment with the radiator knocking. Woody Allen's camera often holds still on two people in conversation, cutting between them with ease, while the frame keeps breaking open for direct-to-camera asides, split screens and sudden flashbacks to childhood Brooklyn. Its palette leans on muted browns, cream knitwear and soft tungsten interiors, with bright, slightly washed-out streets and Central Park in autumn. The score is a jaunty pre-war jazz standard, sparing and cheerful, which keeps the mood buoyant even when the talk turns anxious. Vibe: wry, lovelorn and rueful, a sweet and self-deprecating romance. It suits a rainy Sunday or a comfort rewatch with a glass of wine. Language is sharp and frequent, sex and drug references are brief and matter-of-fact, and there is no violence beyond a little slapstick and one brief mishap. The pacing is brisk and episodic, the emotional arc a warm, bittersweet look at two people who love each other and can't quite make it work. For viewers who enjoy witty, neurotic dialogue and grown-up romantic melancholy.
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