Manhattan Review

This is Woody Allen’s Valentine's card to Manhattan.

A city he loves, but also worries about.

A film that is less funny than Annie Hall, but more poignant.

There isn’t just one dueling couple in Manhattan, but three.

Adultery is rife and the confused characters often fail to do the right thing.

But wait, a wise-beyond-her-years “ high school student played so brilliantly by Mariel Hemingway almost steals the show.

She’s a superb foil to Woody Allen’s cynical shtick.

Romance will always be complicated with this endearing duo.

People grow from love, and they are torn apart when love goes wrong, but love is a necessary dance with infinite variations and outcomes.

This dance is very subtle in Manhattan.

Manhattan is about courtship, but also about the time after courtship, which is analyzed from various comic angles.

This analysis is funny, sad, and annoying.

It’s never easy to be in sync with another person when it’s hard enough to be in sync with yourself.

Woody Allen is no stranger to this dilemma.

He’s made a comedic career exploring it while making us laugh.

Smile and sigh, people.