Allen's amiable recycling of Bergmanesque elements in New York intellectual setting has its share of laughter and pathos. But, it's essentially an artist playing it safe and repeating his past jokes and hangups, albeit with greater finesse. Best thing is Allen being goofy as Allen though other actors are all engaging enough.

It's just Woody Allen. He's good in a chic neurotic sort of way, but his work consists of one story told 20 different ways. I recommend all versions. Some more than others, and this is one of the better ones, but I disclaim liability if you find any of them toxic. As therapy they are designed primarily for Woody Allen.

There is so much material to work with here that one might be tempted to underestimate Woody Allen's vision as being a bit unfocused and indecisive. But consider a raucous family dinner, with all the brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, girlfriends, boyfriends, and children you can stomach. Before and after they sit down to eat, each of their lives run in different directions, but at that meal one sees a poignant picture and gains such a clear perspective. Amidst the true-to-life plotlines that take their varying courses, it's the film's brief moments of unity and clarity that help all the subplots and supporting roles to make sense and to feel, indeed, quite necessary.… Expand

There's a hierarchy to Woody Allen's works. The third best is Manhattan. This is probably second to Annie Hall, by about 0.00000000000000001%. It's brilliant - a little darker than you may expect from Allen, but none the worse for it. Michael Caine - though not as good here as everyone says he is - is still bloody good, heading a cast playing completely out of their skins (well, except von Sydow, he could play Hamlet while looking the other way at something very interesting happening offstage, and still be brilliant). Hannah and her Sisters, then? It's marginally better than Manhattan, its on a par with Annie Hall. No home should be without one.… Expand

One of Woody Allen's best. Top notch performances all the way around! One of the greats! A great comedy, that is also dramatic, human and touching.

This is one of Allen's most well-rounded movies, with the same depth of his earlier pictures, melded with a more romantic picture of this phase. It's a major accomplishment, not only as one of Allen's quirkiest comedies, but finally one of Allen's tributes where he realizes not to mimic his idol, but to take similarities and repackage them as his own.