My feelings and relationship with Woody Allen's movies are like the ocean tides, it comes and goes and most of the times it takes me time to digest it fully, it's like getting to know a person for the long term. Manhattan is no exception and what's nice about it is its personal and intimate slant towards the characters, it perfectly zooms into their psyche and temperament to the point where the spectator is extended to the story as he finds himself apprehending these characters, their insecurities, goodness, and qualities the same way he knows his family and close friends, but here it only takes him one hour and a half to get into their spirit. The film is also a take on the complexity of human relationships and ou fear of happiness. for example, every character keeps finding himself a justification to avoid the confrontation happiness and settling with the image they have of it for fear of getting hurt like Isaac who keeps using Tracey age as an argument to avoid commitment with her and yale using his marriage as an excuse to prevent himself from consuming his love for Marry....it's also a portrayal of how chaotic and immature adult life can be juxtaposing it with the maturity of its youngest character Tracey, a mirror of our turbulent and uncontrolled lives, and the way we disregard the happiness sitting right next to us. That's what good cinema is about; letting you see the bigger picture and detach from your universe, all this narrated and showcased in a border poetic black and white New-york, which is its most complete and definite dress.
Review of Manhattan
