1998, New England. “It’s the beginning of a new semester,” Max says, “full of potential that will surely go to waste.” Meet MAX, a college student whose universe is defined by pop-cultural references, and who only reaches out to the world through a radio show that he can’t bear anyone listening to. ANNIE HALL is his rosetta stone for life: the horrible and the miserable and the futility of romance. Meet Max’s friends. There’s CHARLES, the handsome thespian (and Rat Pack wanna-be) who has no trouble meeting girls but still believes he’s unlucky at love. There’s SAM, whose long-term relationship with his girlfriend JEN is now held together entirely by their love of The X-Files. There’s AMANDA, the sensitive Ani DiFranco fan who can’t seem to get through to the completely inscrutable SCOTT. And finally there is BETH, Max’s closest friend until a disastrous date that may have permanently ruined their friendship. The most important person in Max’s life, however, is Annie Hall. When Charles suggests that Max’s favorite movie— and favorite obsession— is sabotaging his romantic relationships, Max resists the idea, but quickly finds plenty of evidence to support the theory. The theory can’t possibly be correct— right? Does the problem lie with Max and his friends, or is a 20-year-old movie about failed relationships really causing this 20-year-old’s relationships to fail? And can Max really make it work with JULIE, the beautiful girl who happens to be his radio show’s only audience member, without Annie Hall to guide him? BURNING ANNIE is a humorous slice of college life, filled with authentic characters and wince-laugh moments. It is an up-close look at the fallout of our media-saturated society, a love story for a new generation, and a wise-beyond-its-hero’s-years study of human foibles that delivers poignancy and laughs to spare.
