10 Great Movies That Break The Fourth Wall

There has been no filmmaker more influential when it comes to the use of the fourth wall break than Woody Allen. One of his first major pictures, Annie Hall, features the technique to brilliant effect, and in a film which really is all about people talking, watching him pull away from the action to converse with the audience adds another deep and meaningful layer to the discussions the characters are having.

The film follows Alvy Singer (Allen), a comedian who reflects on his love life after breaking up with the titular character (Diane Keaton).

That's it, all told. The film moves between various conversations and simple, everyday scenarios whilst tackling themes such as love and relationships. Throughout the film, Alvy breaks the wall and hits the audience with a thought or two about what's going on, and then goes on his way.

Allen himself said of the narrative choice: "I felt many of the people in the audience had the same feelings and the same problems. I wanted to talk to them directly and confront them."

It's safe to say this is pulled off without fault in Annie Hall, and - whatever thoughts you might have about the various faults that have plagued his personal life over the years - there's no question that Allen is a master of the fourth wall break.