September

PG

Released Dec 18, 1987

1 hr. 22 min.

Drama

List

63%

16 Reviews

Tomatometer

52%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Following an attempted suicide, Lane (Mia Farrow) retreats to her summerhouse in Vermont to rest. However, Lane's residence is not the peaceful haven it should be when her houseguests disrupt the healing process. Lane struggles to deal with her obnoxious mother (Elaine Stritch), who is visiting with her stepfather (Jack Warden). While Lane lusts after a writer (Sam Waterston) who wants her best friend (Dianne Wiest), a friendly neighbor (Denholm Elliott) carries a torch for Lane.

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Dave S

Woody Allen's September has more of a theatrical vibe to it than a cinematic feel, which is not always a good thing when it comes to watching a movie. Set in rural Vermont, Lane (Mia Farrow) suffers from bouts of depression and anxiety. She is visited by her best friend Stephanie (Diane Wiest) and her narcissistic mother Diane (Elaine Stitch), both of whom hope to play a role in Lane's recovery. While the story itself is interesting and provides some interesting insights and revelations, much of the dialogue seems forced and the acting comes across as overly theatrical. In light of the fact that it all takes place in one setting, Allen does a decent job of blocking shots to keep things visually interesting, but the whole thing comes across as flat and tepid.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

On Golden Pond Part II

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I started watching some of these older W.A. films cuz they are airing them on HBO with the Farrow documentary. I have to say that I still have not made it thru the entire movie without falling asleep. Good for my napping but this movie was BORING. Alot of boring dialogue and not much of a plot. Watch it if you can't sleep I guarantee you will be snoring in less than half an hour

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Acknowledged, along with Interiors (1978) and Another Woman (1988), as one of Woody Allen's straight drama films this received a mixed critical reception upon release with most accusing the performances of feeling wooden and the production of feeling like a filmed play. The difficult behind the scenes changes that occurred with Allen choosing to reshoot the entire film, replacing certain actors, may have also tarnished the film in the eyes of some. I would have to say that I found this to be one of the few Woody Allen/Mia Farrow collaborations that I have seen in which she is put to good use and that is something to savor as she is a talented dramatic performer. The story that the film tells was also interesting to me as while it clearly draws from Anton Chekhov and Ingmar Bergman it does manage to tap into feelings of love and betrayal effectively. The mentally troubled Lane, Mia Farrow, has recently made a suicide attempt and has spent a summer at a house bought by her father when she was young. Her quiet neighbor Howard, Denholm Elliott, has fallen in love with her but she does not share his feelings and has directed her affections towards disgruntled writer Peter, Sam Waterston. The two spent a lot of time together and even had sexual intercourse but when Lane's best friend Stephanie, Dianne Wiest, a wife and mother, arrived at the house he became infatuated with her and the two had been flirting with one another for some time. Peter intends to write the memoirs of Lane's overbearing mother Diane, Elaine Stritch, who was a movie star as a young woman and had an abusive mobster lover that Lane is believed to have shot. When Stephanie and Peter consummate their relationship and he informs Lane he does not care for her it sets off an emotional background that will cause her to reveal shocking information. The idea that love can not prevail if it comes around at the wrong time and in the wrong place. In this film the only real love that exists is that between Peter and Stephanie and even that is steeped in confusion as she may only be transferring her feelings for her husband onto him and he is so undecided about everything in his life that it is difficult to see him committing to her. Yet as they discuss listening to music together and he tries his hardest to convince her to sleep with him by calling her ‘lovely' we see why they would be drawn together. Stephanie's decision to sleep with him seems to come from a desire to dissipate the tension between them rather than a real physical attraction for the man pursuing her. Her closest allegiance is to her friend, Lane, which only complicates the union more as the previous relationship between them prevents her from being able to fully give herself to Peter. The two part sadly as Peter reaffirms his feelings of love for her while she is resolute in her desire to return to her family despite her own selfish attraction to this man so free of responsibility. The secondary relationship in the film and the more fractious one is that between Lane and Diane as an abusive mother is totally dismissive of her daughter's concerns. Farrow is what really makes this part of the film shine as the way that she cowers in fear in her mother's presence and the tightening of her jaw as her mother arrogantly boasts about her past tell us that there is more to this character than her soft voice and poor posture. Stritch is convincing as a woman who is totally self absorbed as she admires herself in the mirror and tellingly reveals that she feels 21 inside. It is clear that she never really took an interest in raising her child and so the mixture of resentment and disconnect between the two women makes sense. With the revelation comes further understanding of these two women as Diane is so selfish that she would let her own daughter experience the punishment she deserved and Lane's fragility is derived from this tragic event. The end of the film is not hopeful as Lane will be all alone again with only the company of a man that she does not love and nothing that has come out of her time with these people that has helped her. She remains a lonely, troubled woman who has not been able to reconcile with her mother and has lost the man she loves to her well adjusted friend. This sort of dark ending is characteristic of Chekhov but here it has an extra touch of sadness as with this being an American film we expect a happy ending for such a tortured woman.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Sadly the problem here is pacing. Characters have dimensions. In its climax you can't avoid feeling sadness and cringiness, rarely achieved in other movies. Mia Farrow performance may be one of the best in her career

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

#woodyallenretro Podcast Project A very focused and intimate drama with stellar performances particularly from Elaine Stritch and the ever so soft spoken Dianne Wiest - although in the great scheme of Woodys filmography not the most memorable drama, it does stand out for being focused on it's theatre play like execution and ernest characters / performances

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

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Woody Allen

Director

Denholm Elliott

Howard

Dianne Wiest

Stephanie

Mia Farrow

Lane

Elaine Stritch

Diane

Sam Waterston

Peter

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

The situation is a bit precious at times, but the central conflict between daughter Mia Farrow and her mother Elaine Stritch is fresh and compelling.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 23, 2017

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Allen has made so many comedies that it is easy to insist that he make nothing else. Actually, he is as acute an author of serious dialogue as anyone now making movies, and in September most of the real action goes on in the word choices.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

It sounds like a wacky prime-time sitcom that would rule the boob tube for four years minimum. Instead, it's the scenario fueling Woody Allen's dreary drama.

Rated: 2/4

Sep 22, 2021

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

A perfect storm of acting, writing, and direction that subtly seeps into the heart and lingers long after the credits have rolled. A little known but hugely powerful triumph.

Rated: 4/4

Jun 4, 2019

Full Review

Christopher Machell

CineVue

September is a difficult, sombre, but above all, truthful portrayal of the everyday sadness of adult life.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 6, 2017

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

One of Woody Allen's weakest, most static films, inspired by Ingmar Bergman's serious dramas on the one hand and by Lana Turner's scandalous life on the other.

Rated: C

Jan 18, 2011

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Synopsis

Following an attempted suicide, Lane (Mia Farrow) retreats to her summerhouse in Vermont to rest. However, Lane's residence is not the peaceful haven it should be when her houseguests disrupt the healing process. Lane struggles to deal with her obnoxious mother (Elaine Stritch), who is visiting with her stepfather (Jack Warden). While Lane lusts after a writer (Sam Waterston) who wants her best friend (Dianne Wiest), a friendly neighbor (Denholm Elliott) carries a torch for Lane.

Director: Woody Allen
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 18, 1987, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $404.8K

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