Video Capsule: Hannah and Her Sisters (8/10)

[JoBlo]

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Barbara Hershey, Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine, Woody Allen

I love most of Woody Allen's "adultery"-based movies including this one, CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS and HUSBANDS AND WIVES. Some of his best work, in my opinion.

The basic idea behind all of them is that people are confused about life, confused about love and confused about what the hell is ever gonna make them happy. So what do they do? Well, they fuck around, that's what!

In this film, Michael Caine's character is married to a lovely woman, only he doesn't realize it and suddenly finds himself dicking his wife's sister. Pretty gross, eh? Well, it would be were it not for the fact that this film is written exquisitely and taken to another level by all of the superb talent associated to the film.

But above all, this movie feels real, the people seem real and the situations all ring true. We've all gone through these feelings at one point or another (okay, I'm not talking about dicking your wife's sister, but you get what I'm saying...) and could relate to any one of the many interesting characters in this movie.

The cool thing is that all three sisters in the picture have their own story and each one is interesting in itself. Woody, for once, actually takes the back seat in this one and lets most of his well-renowned cast take over. Caine more than proves that he deserved his Oscar for best supporting actor for this role and if you watch closely, you will even notice several early roles from actors who went on to bigger and better things including John Turturro, J.T. Walsh and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Allen is also at his strongest as a director with this picture, with plenty of succesful tricks including title cards, voice-overs, a span of over two years, some handheld stuff and a very solid sense of realism.

Anyway, I won't babble on much longer here, but the bottom line with this picture is that it's a solid adult drama with laughs and some emotion tossed in for kicks. They talk about sex, they commit affairs, they go out on dates and they live their lives...grab a drink and enjoy...

[Jon Lap]

I enjoyed your colloquial, vernacularly written critique/review!

But at one point you mention that Allen was at his strongest in terms of direction... are you also saying with this statement that this is his best film?? Just curious.

HANNAH AND HER SISTERS (8.5/10)

[Fergus]

Allen's writing is at its best here. I especially love his strange way of trying to get in a religion, and trying them on for size. Funny, to say the least. 9/10

[wyodebbie]

"Hannah and Her Sisters" is another winner by director/screenwriter/actor Woody Allen as he examines some typically interesting and neurotic New Yorker's whose lives intertwine. All the cast members are superb with the stand-outs in my mind being Michael Caine and Dianne Wiest. My favorite scene is where Woody takes Wiest out in her coke and heavy metal phase and forces Woody to heavy metal concert and then Wiest forced to listen to Woody's jazz club music - it was a riot the way they both reacted to each other. Woody even showed a touch of warmth and setiment at end when finds out Wiest is pregnant. I liked Michael Caine's asides as he lusts after Hannah's sister. Mia Farrow also good who is caught in all the family battles with sisters and her parents. I liked that all the characters grew and changed (for the better mostly) at the end of two years. "Hannah and Her Sisters" along with "Husbands and Wives" and "Annie Hall" I consider Allen's masterpieces.

[chinton]

I havent seen this but I recently had to write a term paper about Crimes And Misdemeanors as a black c omedy. As I was doing I realized I havent seen this movie and is one of the few Allen films I havent seen. Ill defintely see it now because of your great reviews.