Review of Carnal Knowledge (1971) by Willie J — 22 Feb 2014

I think what makes this film work is that the lead characters are relatable. I'm sure there is a Sandy or a Jonathan is most people. Their experiences are realistic, they are presented as situations that could happen to anyone.

I think what keeps the film from reaching the heights it wanted to reach was its script. I feel there was so much it wanted to say, but couldn't express it well enough. It has its moments of brilliance but then it fades into dullness.

I also believe another problem may be the characters themselves. Because they are not ever content they always go through the same cycles, therefore the film becomes repetitive, giving the same messages in similar manners.