Today’s quick review: Hannah and Her Sisters. Unbeknownst to Hannah (Mia Farrow), her husband Elliot (Michael Caine) has become infatuated with her sister Lee (Barbara Hershey) and is planning to have an affair. Meanwhile, Hannah’s other sister Holly (Dianne Wiest) struggles to find her footing as an actress. Elsewhere, Hannah’s ex-husband Mickey (Woody Allen), a hypochondriac TV producer, reevaluates his life after receiving grave medical news.
Hannah and Her Sisters is a dramatic comedy written and directed by Woody Allen. The story follows Hannah and her extended family as they cope with the ups and downs of their lives. Affairs, health scares, family gatherings, bad dates, professional secrets, and waning love make up the rich fabric of the film. Hannah and Her Sisters is not an uproarious comedy, but it is an insightful one, covering a broad range of human experience.
Hannah and Her Sisters has a knack for the mundane. The film consists of several plot threads where a member of Hannah’s family deals with a personal struggle. The conflicts are low-key and believable. There are no larger-than-life antics or contrivances for the sake of comedy. Instead, the film draws its strength from its wry commentary on life, small doses of engaging drama, and relatable characters brought to life by talented actors.
How much you get out of Hannah and Her Sisters will come down to taste. Fans of overt comedy will find that it is a little dry, while viewers looking for pathos will find it to be a little too good-humored. But Hannah and Her Sisters has a humble quality to it that makes it enjoyable to watch, even for those for whom it is not a perfect fit. Observant writing, rich characters, and a smattering of humor make the film worth a watch.
For an insightful comedy from Woody Allen with a more comedic premise, try Zelig. For a quirkier comedy about a dysfunctional family, try The Royal Tenenbaums. For a black comedy about the mundane struggles of life, try A Serious Man. For an introspective comedy about a man trying to cheat on his wife, try Last of the Red Hot Lovers.
[7.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091167/). I give it a 7.0 for well-developed characters and a modest but interesting story.