The 7 Best Diane Keaton Movies That Aren't 'Annie Hall'
The world of cinema has lost a true legend. At the age of 79, Diane Keaton has died unexpectedly. Her family has released a statement that "no further details [are] available at this time," and that it is a time of "great sadness." For fans of Keaton's unique and often hilarious talents, it is a time of deep sadness. But it's also likely a moment in which millions are revisiting Keaton's fantastic filmography.
So, what are the greatest Diane Keaton movies? Nearly all of the obituaries published about the actress will include the timeless 1977 Woody Allen rom-com Annie Hall, in which Keaton played the titular character. And, while Annie Hall is, in fact, one of her greatest performances (hell, the movie even beat Star Wars for Best Picture at the Oscars in 1978), there are plenty of other great Diane Keaton movies that don't feature her saying "lah-di-dah."
Here are seven fantastic films starring Diane Keaton that are even better than her quirky turn in Annie Hall.
7. Something's Gotta Give (2003)
This Nancy Meyers-directed comedy has both a hilarious script and a stacked cast. In addition to Diane Keaton, you've got Keanu Reeves, Frances McDormand, Jon Favreau (really!), Rachel Ticotin, and of course, Jack Nicholson. But, of course, the movie lives because of Keaton's perfect, extremely funny, and heartfelt take on a bitter person, who, just might, in the end, believe in love.
Something's Gotta Give is streaming to rent on Prime Video, YouTube, and elsewhere.
6. Sleeper (1973)
This slapstick sci-fi comedy is not just underrated, it's also, in terms of streaming, hard to watch. When Miles Monroe (Woody Allen) wakes up in the distant future, he soon teams up with Luna Schlosser (Keaton), a 22nd-century artist, who owns something called an orgasmatron. Of all the sci-fi movies of the 1970s, this one is probably the most overlooked. And, one of Keaton's funniest roles, years before Annie Hall.
Sleeper is not currently streaming online. You can watch it on DVD or Blu-ray.
5. Manhattan (1979)
You can't really make a greatest hits of Diane Keaton without a couple of Woody Allen movies, and 1979's Manhattan ranks as one of the actress's all-time best performances, ever. Unlike Annie Hall, Keaton's character in Manhattan, Mary Wilkie, is selfish, nasty, and kind of brilliant. The fact that Keaton pulled off such an utterly different character in another comedy, just two years after Annie Hall, is proof of her immortal power as an actress.
Manhattan is streaming on Tubi, MGM+, and Pluto.
4. The First Wives Club (1996)
Based on the 1992 novel of the same name, The First Wives Club is probably the MVP of Diane Keaton's later films. Between chomping on a cigar and cutting people down, this film proved that Keaton's talent wasn't a fluke of her incredible run in the 1970s.
The First WivesClub is streaming to rent on YouTube, Prime Video, and elsewhere.
3. Reds (1981)
In the historical drama Reds, Diane Keaton plays Louise Bryant, a famous, real-life political activist who sympathized with the Russian Bolsheviks in 1917. Keaton's deft and sensitive turn in this movie is easily one of her most heartbreaking.
Reds is streaming on Pluto TV.
2. Interiors (1978)
One of Woody Allen's darkest films, Interiors, was a drama released in 1978, between Annie Hall and Manhattan. But, unlike those two comedies, Interiors tells the tragic story of three sisters and their mother, whose mental health is failing. Keaton plays Renata, a depressed and cynical poet, who, underneath all of her grief and rage, might be the sanest person in the movie.
Interiors is the anti-Annie Hall in nearly every single way, and it's truly staggering to look back and realize that Keaton filmed this movie, with this complex role, just one year after that more famous predecessor. If you're looking for proof that Diane Keaton was an incredible actress with an amazing range, look no further than Interiors.
Interiors streams on Tubi.
1. The Godfather (1972)
For years after her brilliant turn as Kay in the original Godfather, Diane Keaton questioned why she was cast in the film in the first place. Known for her more comedic roles, Keaton asked director Francis Ford Coppola in 2023 why he cast her in the movie at all. His response? He actually wanted Keaton's depth and humor for the role of Kay.
"I chose you, because although you were to play the more straight/vanilla wife, there was something more about you, deeper, funnier, and very interesting."
Anyone who loves The Godfather (and who doesn't?) can agree that Keaton's performance as Kay is part of what grounds the movie. In order to buy anything that happens in The Godfather, you have to believe that Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) has a real, meaningful relationship. Keaton delivered that, and then some. Literally one of the greatest movies of all time wouldn't be as special without her.