Review of 3 Women (1977) by Jesse T — 21 May 2010

Even for Altman, 3 Women is pretty out-there. While watching, I was very often reminded of Mulholland Drive - 3 Women isn't at the same 'masterpiece' level, but it has a similarly dreamy feel and a story involving women whose identities blur and shift together. The women are Sissy Spacek and Shelley Duvall, who both are terrific with their painfully awkward characters. Spacek really freaked me out here - something about her waifish, empty slate of a character is weirdly unsettling, and her various transformations throughout the movie are entirely believable. Duvall is even better, proving once again that she was one of the most underrated actresses of her time. Duvall is both pathetic, annoying, and hilarious - her performance is complex and wonderfully odd, and I believe should've earned her an Oscar nomination. The third woman is a mysterious pregnant lady who silently drifts in the background of the film, painting creepy murals of reptilian people.

As you can probably tell, 3 Women is anything but normal. Even during the more mundane scenes something about it seems weirdly off-kilter. Altman's dream of a film has only gotten better the more I think about it, the performances and haunting images are strange and unforgettable, plus it has an entertainingly odd streak of humor. One of Altman's best.

My ratings of Robert Altman films:

1. McCabe and Mrs Miller - 10.

2. The Long Goodbye - 9.

3. Short Cuts - 8.

4. The Player - 8.

5. 3 Women - 8.

6. Brewster McCloud - 7.

7. A Prairie Home Companion - 7.

8. Images - 7.