Manhattan (1979)

A 42 year old Manhattan native (Woody Allen) has a job he hates, a 17 year old girlfriend (Mariel Hemingway in an Oscar nominated performance) and an ex-wife (Meryl Streep) who's writing a tell all book about their marriage. He soon begins an affair with the mistress (Diane Keaton) of his married best friend (Michael Murphy). Co-written and directed by Woody Allen, this is his paen to New York City. He and his cinematogrpher Gordon Willis make New York seem like the most thrilling city in the world. However, this acclaimed film (often considered Allen's masterpiece) hasn't aged well. Where the idea of a 42 year old man dating a high school student once seemed "okay" (or it didn't seem to bother anyone in 1979), today it seems uncomfortable. Watching it, I couldn't help thinking "Where are this girl's parents?". Allen has conveniently eliminated them from the movie. Knowing the director's personal history also brings questions into play. That aside, one wonders why we should care at all about any of these privileged intellectual (arguably pseudo intellectuals) neurotics. On the plus side, there's Gordon Willis' gorgeous B&W cinematography (Allen's first film in scope), so stunning any frame from the film could hang on a museum wall. Then there's the inspired use of George Gershwin's music as an underscore. Also, there are the frequent Allen witty quips, the man can write, you have to give him that. With Anne Byrne, Wallace Shawn and Karen Allen.