Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Celia A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Francene Odetta It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

classicsoncall I'm always a bit conflicted watching a Woody Allen movie. The guy can be brilliant, but always in the back of my mind is the way he betrayed a long time relationship with Mia Farrow by taking up with her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn. There was also the scandal revolving around adopted son Dylan Farrow, all of which makes me sour on Allen as a human being. It appears that in his early directed films, he might have offered some prophetic insight toward his behavior. For example, in "Bananas" there's a scene at a magazine stand where he's looking at a girlie mag, and he says to a bystander that he's doing a study on perversion and child molesting. Or take "Hannah and Her Sisters" where Allen's character blows off child molesting by saying that 'half the country is doing it'. So here, in "Manhattan", he's actually cavorting with a seventeen year old girlfriend portrayed by Mariel Hemingway, who oddly, turns out to be the most mature person out of all of Isaac's (Allen) acquaintances by the time the movie is over.Cinematically, I liked the film for it's crisp black and white portrayal of New York City, especially the night time scenes of distant cityscapes and beautifully lit street venues. As is often found in Allen's scripts, the characters deliver many of the nuances of love and life's miseries along with it's unintended consequences. Appearing as Isaac's ex-wife Jill, Meryl Streep probably never looked better on screen. But oh, those outfits and hair-do on Diane Keaton, those were the dictionary definition of dated if I had to come up with one. Not that any of the other players didn't evince the Seventies in their appearance, but Keaton's Mary certainly stood out.As for Woody Allen himself, he delivers the ultimate nebbish persona here that he made classically famous in his movies, stand-up routine and television guest spots. He really does come across as a funny guy, and charming enough in his own way, but it's tough to disassociate from one's own personal history. Try as I might, that dichotomy will always exist for me watching a Woody Allen picture.

oOoBarracuda Does anyone open a film better than Woody Allen? Whether it be a brilliant opening scene giving the viewer an idea of what is to follow or a fantastic opening monologue, Woody Allen has the ability to bring me into his films in their opening seconds like no other filmmaker can. Manhattan opens with that signature perfect voice- over narration that I am starting to associate with Woody Allen. Manhattan was my 6th outing with the auteur and one that I am immeasurably thankful for. There was a time in my life before I saw Manhattan and the time of my life after I saw Manhattan; the line distinguishing those two points in my life is becoming quite clear. There's nothing I like more than watching a film and knowing immediately it is going to have a profound impact on your life as a cinephile. I rarely have that experience with most films making themselves known as turning points in my life long after their credits roll. Manhattan was the 1979 installment of prolific director Woody Allen's film-a-year career. Detailing the feelings of love's uncertainty in a remarkably down to earth way, Manhattan is beautiful in no small part to its simplicity.Isaac (Woody Allen) is a forty-something writer who has a better romantic relationship with his hometown of Manhattan than he ever has with a woman in his life. Isaac is currently carrying on a relationship with a 17-year old girl that he is only half invested in because he sees the relationship as doomed to fail due to their age difference. His partner Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), however, is fully invested in their romance and realizes that she is falling in love with Isaac. After dealing with an ex-wife who divorced Isaac after realizing she was a lesbian deciding to write a book about their marriage, quitting his job as a writer for a television comedy, and believing he may be romantically interested in the woman his best friend is having an affair with, Isaac ends his relationship with Tracy in hopes of a revelation through self- discovery and a relationship with a woman his age. Isaac soon realizes that there does not exist one universal formula for a successful life, and even if there did, he probably wouldn't be satisfied with it.Woody Allen is one of my favorite filmmakers. The way he can weave a story through a theme of the uncertainty of the self and the meaning of life has always pleased this existentialist. Woody Allen manages to bring these issues to every film I've seen of his thus far in a new and innovative way which has inspired me to work my way through his entire filmography. What I was not prepared for before I watched Manhattan was how beautiful of a film Woody Allen is capable of. There are certain themes one conjures up when considering Woody Allen, among them, neurotic Jewish characters, self-aware nervous individuals, death, and bitingly quick film writing. I was pleasantly surprised just how gorgeous Manhattan was. Making the decision to shoot the film in black and white and providing subtly brilliant shots shows Allen's prowess as a director. Certain shots have stayed with me since I finished the film two days ago, for instance, the lighting in the planetarium scene when Isaac is trying to decide how he feels about his new muse, the shot through the blinds when Isaac is on the phone, Tracy sitting on the couch in the left corner of the screen as Isaac descends a set of stairs from the right corner of the screen, the shot of the couple on Isaac's television show seen arguing through wires from the ceiling, and of course the iconic shot of the Queensboro Bridge which adorns the film's poster, are all images that are beautiful in what they convey in each moment of the film--and images I can't forget. Woody Allen asks a serious question in Manhattan--"What makes life worth living", well, part of my answer is: Woody Allen films.

francescogiacobbe Manhattan an original romantic comedy about a middle aged divorcée who is dating a 17 year old schoolgirl but falls in love with his best friend's mistress. Just writing that story line makes me laugh. Manhattan is highly funny and Allen's character is so Jewish and so Woody Allen that it is almost like stepping into the life and times of Woody Allen. The tremendous script and chemistry between Woody Allen and Diane Keaton make this film an instant classic. The wooden performances of the best friend (Michael Murphy), the schoolgirl (Mariel Hemingway) and Allen's ex-wife (Meryl Streep) can be ignored and allow the viewer to be charmed and annoyed in equal measure by Isaac Davis (Woody Allen), as he bumbles through life from attempting to run over his ex-wife's lesbian partner to quitting his job as a TV writer to "focus on his book".Diane Keaton as Mary Wilkie is the biggest try hard character one could find and only Allen could write this cynical yet delicate part. She floats through with references to religion and Carl Jung, and attempts to camouflage her mental instability and inability to accept life drifting from meaningless relationship to meaningless relationship. The depth of her character is one of the triumphs of the film, as her battle to stay afloat whilst being tugged in a war of love by Yale (Murphy and Isaac (Allen) unfolds.Delving into the heart of the film it showcases the travesties of middle age and the fight to cling onto youth through intellectualism and sex. And ultimately Manhattan is everything not to do when you contemplate life in your 40's, be divorced twice, date a teenager, quit your job. If there is a serious message to be taken away from viewing this film, it is that middle age sucks but sometimes you have to roll with it and not get carried away (evident in the final scene as Isaac stands aghast at the thought of spending 6 months apart from his teenage girlfriend as she shrugs).As ever Allen's comedic timing and contextual references make this film essential Woody viewing and kept me smiling throughout.

Thanos Karagioras "Manhattan" is a romantic comedy movie in which we watch a man who is a divorced television writer and he is dating a teenage girl, getting into a strange and complicated situation. This situation is an erotic triangle in which he fells in love with his best friend's mistress. In addition to this we have plenty of more information about his ex-wife, his job and how this influences his relationships and his character.It's a classic Woody Allen movie in which we have romance, many erotic conversations, a lot of scenes of the beautiful Manhattan and of course a nice direction made by Woody Allen. I liked the interpretation of Woody Allen who played as Isaac and I have to say that he was really good at it. Another interpretation that has to be mentioned is the beautiful Diane Keaton's who played as Mary and she was equally good.Lastly I believe that "Manhattan" is not the best movie of Woody Allen but is still interesting to watch and if you have a spare time this is a nice choice. I also have to say that this movie shows very well how a person changes when some situations come in his life and he did not expect them, and how he deals with them.