Powerful

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

It has its flaws but when it soars it soars and that makes up for everything.

Found this to be dead self indulgent and really boring. Woody Allen is a neurotic 40-something, having a fling with a 17 year old girl. Dumps her, dates a woman his age, she dumps him and he goes running back to his 17 year old girl. Pointless and dull and I didn't like a single character.Also, the cinematography, as great as it was, was not suited to the subject matter. It needed naturalistic lighting but it looked like a film noir. For me, it didn't work as the visual tone was in conflict with the tone of the subject matter.I've seen much better Woody Allen films. I've seen some poor ones but this is probably my least favourite of his. I can't help but wonder how this film has achieved such critical acclaim and such a high score on IMDb.

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.

Manhattan is an interesting film by Woody Allen, The story and dialogue between the characters is more serious and believable than in the only other film I saw Annie Hall. The humor also didn't seem forced or written in just to make something funnier, the jokes were naturally funny. I still don't like the fact that Woody Allen casts himself in the lead part when he could easily get someone much better to play the part. The supporting cast is also really good as it usually is in these kinds of Woody Allen films. The style of the film I also enjoyed with the black and white and great use of shadows gives it a old timey feel to it that helps the film in a way. Overall, Manhattan isn't a bad film, I enjoyed it more than I did Annie Hall, but there were still some things I would've liked to see Woody Allen do differently along the lines of the story and cast. That is why Manhattan gets a 7/10.