Manhattan

Manhattan details the comings and goings of several New York City-based friends, with the emphasis placed on the romantic exploits of Woody Allen’s Isaac (especially his affairs with Mariel Hemingway’s Tracy and Diane Keaton’s Mary). In typical Allen form, Manhattan is a thoroughly verbose piece of work that boasts stunning visuals and some seriously strong acting – with, in terms of the latter, Keaton’s turn as the intellectual but insecure Mary certainly ranking among her very best performances. The plotless atmosphere does, however, ensure that the movie is only engaging in fits and starts (ie certain sequences fare much, much better than others), and it’s ultimately clear that the film is at its best when focused on Isaac’s relationships with Hemingway and Keaton’s respective characters. Manhattan‘s arms-length atmosphere is perpetuated by the deliberateness with which everything unfolds, with the movie’s 96 minute running time suffering from a padded-out vibe and often feeling a whole lot longer than it actually is. The wish-fulfillment finale doesn’t ring true in any way, shape, or form, which does, in the end, cement Manhattan‘s place as a film that one admires more than one wholeheartedly embraces.

**1/2 out of ****