Husbands and Wives
Reviews
lasttimeisaw
Released in the hype of Allen and Farrow’s breakup in the wake of his infamous Soon-Yi scandal, HUSBANDS AND WIVES archly and topically plumbs into the marital conundrums of two couples, Gabe (Allen) and Judy (Farrow, bookends her collaboration with Allen to the tune of 13), and their best friends Jack (Pollack) and Sally (Davis). For one thing, the film adopts a jittery cinematographic style (aided by handheld cameras and Steadi-cams) which certainly is not Allen’s modus operandi, and lets rip the neurotic, taxing, unrelieved relationship squabbles to full throttle, inflamed by Jack and Sally’s abrupt declaration of their separation after being married for over 15 years. Two different reactions ensure, Gabe retains his sangfroid facing a bolt from the blue but Judy apparently loses it, thinking that her closest friend has been keeping her marriage snags to herself, that seems to be a big blow to their time-honoured friendship, but on a more intuitive level (as later Sally astutely dissects), there is something deeply self-serving in Judy’s reaction. Gabe and Judy are jolted to scrutinize their own 10-year-young matrimony, where crevices start to crack open, here, Allen deploys another gimmick, a faux-documentary with character revealing their inner feelings in the form of an interview, Gabe confesses he is a sucker for “kamikaze women” (with trying smugness) until he meets Judy, whom he deciphers is a mastermind of passive-aggressive manipulation, aka. she always gets what she wants in the end. That is what happens, Allen, a professor in literary, becomes increasingly attracted by one of his student Rain (Lewis) while being self-aware of the clichéd professor-student entanglement. Meanwhile, Judy, lends a helping hand by introducing her newly single colleague Michael (Neeson, a disarmingly pleasurable presence) to Sally, who is fumed when she finds out Jack has moved in with his new lover Sam (Anthony), a young aerobics trainer, merely three weeks after their separation. But, what complicates the situation is, subconsciously, Judy carries a torch for the gentlemanlike Michael, so in the end of the day, a paradigm shift is bound to shatter the status quo. Allen’s script, as rapier-like as always in laying bare the intricate verities of gender politics and monogamous dilemma, eventually, plumps for a morally ego-boosting windup for Gabe (Allen’s alter-ego) who has savored the tempting kiss from a young hottie he craves for, and then rebuffs her advance with all the dignity in the world to remain morally uncorrupted (which blows up in audience’s face when juxtaposed with its sardonic divergence from reality), whereas for Judy, her seemingly happy ending betrays Gabe’s own complacent shrewdness of knowing her too well, for my money, that’s where this otherwise rather piquant and honest-to-goodness modern marriage assessment leaves an unsavory aftertaste, which actually has been lurking behind a majority of Allen’s oeuvre. But what makes HUSBANDS AND WIVIES head and shoulders over his lesser works is the cynosure of the cast, namely, the divine Judy Davis, an ever-so entrancing showstopper, revels in emitting of Sally’s often self-contradictory but ultimately revealing emotional states with sheer intensity, veracity without forfeiting the salutary outpourings of humor and wits (her post-coital "hedgehogs and foxes" rumination is a gas!), Marisa Tomei, as excellent as she is in MY COUSY VINNY (1992), should hand over her Oscar to Mr. Davis, a blatant robbery in the Academy history. Whilst no one can steal the limelight from her, one must admit Sydney Pollack is quite a trouper in the other side of the camera as well, his outstanding two-hander with a feisty Lysette Anthony alone can effortlessly bust a gut, which only leaves, the story-line concerns Gabe and Judy pales in comparison with its pseudo-cerebral self-deception and self-doubt, no wonder Jack and Sally would not open up to them, they are much messier.
tmdb47633491
One of Woody's best, subordinate pretty much only to Hannah and Her Sisters. I'm never taken by 'great performances' - always been more of a writing/direction guy. But the acting here floors me every time, so much so that I can't pay much attention to 'the filmmaking' as I normally do. Just straight entranced from the first scene. There's this line, towards the middle, where Gabe is narrating a bit from one of his novels: "Was the notion of ever-deepening romance a myth along with simultaneous orgasm? The only time Rifkin and his wife experienced simultaneous orgasm was when they were granted their divorce" All time favorite, this one
Movie Recommendation
Shadows and Fog1991-12-05With a serial strangler on the loose, a bookkeeper wanders around town searching for the vigilante group intent on catching the killer.More...
A Esperança É a Última que Morre2015-09-03Hortência is a dedicated, dreamy TV reporter, who hopes to stop doing boring reports and become an anchor of the local news. When she learns that the newspaper's anchor is about to be fired, she is excited about the big opportunity, but Vanessa also wants the job. Needing to find a way to secure her new post, Hortência invents a serial killer and starts "investigating" the case.More...
Monster on the Campus1958-10-15A college paleontology professor acquires a newly discovered specimen of a coelacanth, but while examining it, he is accidentally exposed to its blood, and finds himself periodically turning into a murderous Neanderthal man.More...
Greased Lightning1977-07-01The true life story of Wendell Scott, the first black stock car racing driver to win an upper-tier NASCAR race.More...
Interiors1978-08-02When Eve, an interior designer, is deserted by her husband of many years, Arthur, the emotionally glacial relationships of the three grown-up daughters are laid bare. Twisted by jealousy, insecurity and resentment, Renata, a successful writer; Joey, a woman crippled by indecision; and Flyn, a budding actress; struggle to communicate for the sake of their shattered mother. But when their father unexpectedly falls for another woman, his decision to remarry sets in motion a terrible twist of fate…More...
A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy1982-07-16A nutty inventor, his frustrated wife, a philosopher cousin, his much younger fiancée, a randy doctor, and a free-thinking nurse spend a summer weekend in and around a stunning - and possibly magical - country house.More...
The Namesake2006-09-02The American-born son of Indian immigrants strives to fit in among his fellow New Yorkers despite his family's unwillingness to let go of their traditional ways.More...
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done2010-07-08Brad has committed murder and barricaded himself inside his house. With the help of his friends and neighbours, the cops piece together the strange tale of how this nice young man arrived at such a dark place.More...
Manhattan Murder Mystery1993-05-02A middle-aged couple suspects foul play when their neighbor's wife suddenly drops dead.More...
September1987-12-18After a suicide attempt, Lane has moved into her country house to recuperate. Her best friend, Stephanie, has come to join her for the summer. Lane's mother, Diane, has recently arrived with her husband Lloyd, Lane's stepfather. Lane is close to two neighbors: Peter, and Howard. Howard is in love with Lane, Lane is in love with Peter, and Peter is in love with Stephanie.More...
The Green Elephant1999-12-07Two Russian prisoners are abused mentally and physically.More...
Crimes and Misdemeanors1989-10-13A renowned ophthalmologist is desperate to cut off an adulterous relationship…which ends up in murder; and a frustrated documentary filmmaker woos an attractive television producer while making a film about her insufferably self-centered boss.More...
Horror Express1972-09-30Mysterious and unearthly deaths start to occur while Professor Saxton is transporting the frozen remains of a primitive humanoid creature he found in Manchuria back to Europe.More...
Mildred Pierce1945-10-20A hard-working mother inches towards disaster as she divorces her husband and starts a successful restaurant business to support her spoiled daughter.More...
Stardust Memories1980-09-26While attending a retrospect of his work, a filmmaker recalls his life and his loves: the inspirations for his films.More...
Madea's Family Reunion2006-02-24Southern matriarch Madea has a lot on her plate. Her nieces, Vanessa and Lisa, have relationship troubles - Vanessa moves into Madea's house with her 2 young children and Lisa is engaged to a controlling man that her mother set her up with. In addition, Madea has just been court-ordered to become the guardian of Nikki, a rebellious runaway teenager. Madea must keep the peace and her family together while simultaneously planning her clan's reunion.More...
Hannah and Her Sisters1986-02-07Between two Thanksgivings, Hannah's husband falls in love with her sister Lee, while her hypochondriac ex-husband rekindles his relationship with her sister Holly.More...
Read My Lips2001-10-17She is almost deaf and she lip-reads. He is an ex-convict. She wants to help him. He thinks no one can help except himself.More...
Nell1994-12-23In a remote woodland cabin, a small town doctor discovers Nell — a beautiful young hermit woman with many secrets.More...
Anything Else2003-08-27Jerry Falk, an aspiring writer in New York, falls in love at first sight with a free-spirited young woman named Amanda. He has heard the phrase that life is like "anything else," but soon he finds that life with the unpredictable Amanda isn't like anything else at all.More...
Similar Movies
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
2005-06-07A husband and wife struggle to keep their marriage alive until they realize they are both secretly working as assassins. Now, their respective assignments require them to kill each other.Brief Encounter
1945-11-24Returning home from a shopping trip to a nearby town, bored suburban housewife Laura Jesson is thrown by happenstance into an acquaintance with virtuous doctor Alec Harvey. Their casual friendship soon develops during their weekly visits into something more emotionally fulfilling than either expected, and they must wrestle with the potential havoc their deepening relationship would have on their lives and the lives of those they love.License to Wed
2007-07-04Newly engaged, Ben and Sadie can't wait to start their life together and live happily ever after. However Sadie's family church's Reverend Frank won't bless their union until they pass his patented, "foolproof" marriage prep course consisting of outrageous classes, outlandish homework assignments and some outright invasion of privacy.Intolerance: Love's S...
1916-09-04The story of a poor young woman, separated by prejudice from her husband and baby, is interwoven with tales of intolerance from throughout history.The Crowd
1928-03-03John, an ambitious but undisciplined New York City office worker, meets and marries Mary. They start a family, struggle to cope with marital stress, financial setbacks, and tragedy, all while lost amid the anonymous, pitiless throngs of the big city.The Sandwich
2000-01-01A couple's last moments: their meetings, separations and a sandwich.A History of Violence...
2005-09-23An average family is thrust into the spotlight after the father commits a seemingly self-defense murder at his diner.Walk the Line
2005-09-13A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.Eyes Wide Shut
1999-07-16After Dr. Bill Harford's wife, Alice, admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes obsessed with having a sexual encounter. He discovers an underground sexual group and attends one of their meetings -- and quickly discovers that he is in over his head.Arsenic and Old Lace
1944-09-01Mortimer Brewster, a newspaper drama critic, playwright, and author known for his diatribes against marriage, suddenly falls in love and gets married; but when he makes a quick trip home to tell his two maiden aunts, he finds out his aunts' hobby - killing lonely old men and burying them in the cellar!The War of the Roses
1989-12-08Barbara and Oliver Rose live happily as a married couple. When Barbara starts to wonder what life would be like without Oliver and likes what she sees, the two begin a campaign to force each other to leave their house, with their divorce lawyer D'Amato caught in the middle.Hidden
2022-06-11'Hidden' is a drama based on a true story, where a married couple is faced with a problem that the science describes as parapsychology phenomena but among the religious people is known as demonic possession.Spooky Stuff
No data for this movieA documentarian and camera operator discover peaceful ghosts in an antique mall.Maggie's Plan
2016-04-27Maggie's plan to have a baby on her own with a sperm donor is derailed when she falls in love with John, an older married professor, destroying his volatile marriage to the brilliant and impossible Georgette. But three years later, married to John with one daughter, Maggie is out of love and in a quandary: what do you do when you suspect your man and his ex-wife are actually perfect for each other?We Live in Time
2024-10-10An up-and-coming chef and a recent divorcée find their lives forever changed when a chance encounter brings them together, in a decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.The Gentle Rain
1966-01-10The fated love between a frigid young woman and a grieving man made mute after a tragic personal event.You Were Never Loveli...
1942-11-19An Argentine heiress thinks a penniless American dancer is her secret admirer.I Married a Vampire
1987-05-01A young farmgirl comes to the big city and is taken advantage of by everybody she meets. The only person who treats her well is a stranger she meets and falls in love with. The stranger turns out to be a vampire who also falls in love with her. He sets out to take revenge on everyone who has mistreated her.The Tender Trap
1955-11-04A young actress flirts demurely with a swinging Manhattan bachelor who thinks he has it made.Akvaariorakkaus
1993-01-15Waitress Saara meets handsome journalist Joni, and soon moves in to live with him. Joni tries his best to satisfy Saara sexually but, disturbed by violent lesbian fantasies, she is unable to experience orgasm. Trying to cope with the situation, Saara has another brief affair back in her old home town.