Movie Review: Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Love is really unpredictable
Watching Hannah and Her Sisters is something of a revelatory experience for the viewer. The film is presented in a series of episodic vignettes centering on one idea after another, introducing you to a variety of characters and exploring a varying level of emotions primarily centered on the idea of love, the need to be loved and love ultimately becoming a reason for existence. The film is an exploration of existence as told through love and comes to its own inevitable conclusions riding a range of up and down tidal waves. To point to a centerpiece in the story is a bit difficult; to view this film is to view it solely through one's own eyes and there isn't much in the way of a singular way to see it.
Calling the movie Hannah and Her Sisters is almost misleading as Hannah (Mia Farrow) is certainly not the protagonist of the flick, even though she may be the singular glue that keeps the entire story together, whether it is through her sisters Holly (Dianne Wiest) and Lee (Barbara Hershey), her husband Elliot (Michael Caine) or her ex-husband Mickey (Woody Allen). My personal attachment falls in the hands of Mickey, a character not immediately important to the story, but the film is set up in such a way that after you watch the lives of Hannah, Holly, Lee and Elliot unfold in their search for love and continued happiness, once you are plopped into the lap of Mickey there is really no turning back.
The cast includes Barbara Hershey, Carrie Fisher, Michael Caine, Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Max von Sydow, Woody Allen, Daniel Stern, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lewis Black, Joanna Gleason and Fred Melamed. For more information on this film including pictures, trailers and a detailed synopsis choose from the following menu.
Review
"Hannah and Her Sisters" is a MGM Studios release, directed by Woody Allen and is rated PG-13
"Boy, love is really unpredictable."
Unless you married your high school sweetheart, had three kids and celebrate Valentine's Day as if it were the second coming, that line rings incredibly true. Despite the film's insistent trips through Mickey's neuroses, the world is going on around him supplying an unpredictable means to an end for the story, as well as a contributor to his troubles and confusion.
Hannah's husband Elliot has an undying crush on her sister, Lee. Meanwhile Lee is just looking for a way out of her pinned down relationship with an insufferable artist played by Max von Sydow. Holly has self-esteem issues and at one point loses the affections of a man she desired to her friend April (Carrie Fisher). It even boils down to the parents of the three sisters as they squabble over prior infidelities, the mothers drinking and a variety of other life decisions. It's a melting pot of sorts, but it is all seen through Allen's eyes as he shoots the film from his perspective and also gives his voice to the film's most neurotic character. It is trying at times, but for the most part it works.
Hannah and Her Sisters is a relationship and family drama with sprinkles of comedy here and there. The largest laugh-out-loud moment for me came as Mickey was dabbling with a variety of new religions and as a New York Jew his attempt at Catholicism was the topper. Mickey went about purchasing a variety of religious items such as a crucifix and artwork of Jesus Christ along with a loaf of Wonder Bread and a jar of Hellman's mayonnaise. The scene is subtle in its execution but speaks so loudly you can't help but laugh as well as get your mind turning. His explanation of his conversion to his parents is also comical, but this was the rubber stamp for me.
As much as love is unpredictable Mickey soon realizes the resiliency of the heart as this film mines the depths of emotion ranging from the intensity of an illicit affair to the despair resulting in a botched suicide. Hannah and Her Sisters isn't Woody Allen's best film, but I would say it is his most honest and open that I have seen. Allen really lays all his insecurities out on the line in this flick and I can only wonder if expressing them in this film helped him work through them as much as it helped Mickey.
I wouldn't say this is a great film because Mickey's constant insecurities become incredibly annoying, but it is certainly a conversation starter and for that I sincerely appreciate it.
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This is definitely one of Woody's best. The best line of dialogue that sticks in my head is from Max Von Sydow, having watched some TV recently, saying, "If Jesus came back and saw what's going on in his name, he'd never stop throwing up."
My recommendation: Crimes and Misdemeanors (Woody's best or most consistent film) Martin Landau is wonderful in the lead, but Alan Alda pleasantly suprised me as a rotten cad.
That one's in my Netflix Instant queue, I will remember to make it the next Woody flick I watch.
And the Jesus line you mention is fantastic and I bet it will ring true for all-time.
hey brad have u seen some of the semi recent woody work? Cassandra's Dream?
I cant speak for Brad, but I thought Cassandra's Dream was absolutely terrible, on so many levels.
Yeah, I have seen Vicky Cristina Barcelona and loved it (read my review), Cassandra's Dream was dumb (read my review), Scoop was good, Match Point was 30 minutes too long and Anything Else wasn't good.