Review of Husbands and Wives (1992) by Ronald S — 14 Jul 2010

If you read my other recent review of the last Woody Allen film I've seen, I note how Woody writes a character who is clearly based on himself and how that character seems to be the only one who "gets it." Well, maybe Woody's right. Maybe he, himself, is the only one who gets it. His writing in this film certainly solidifies that thought.

People are afraid to admit it, but Allen nails what plays through everyone's heads, single, married, merely in a relationship, or sleeping with everyone around town. Everyone is jealous of everyone else until they find that their situation really wasn't that bad. The grass is always greener comes to mind. When do people just look at who they are and where they are and just decide, "That's enough. I am happy?" Never, friends. Never.

The way the film is made works with the material so well. The documentary style of shooting throws you in the middle of the marital chaos. The jump cuts, sometimes cutting off bits off dialogue, makes the film play like memories, like how life plays out. You always remember certain instances of living, much like Allen's character Gabe's recollection of watching Wild Strawberries all night with Mia Farrow's Judy, but there are always missing pieces. For instance, when I went to visit Indiana two weeks ago, a friend and I were trying for the lives of us to remember what we were doing one day surrounding a certain vivid memory we both seemed to remember. Still to this day I cannot remember what we were doing. Only the moment in time when four of my friends and I were riding in a car, laughing about throwing things into the mouth of a sleeping friend.

Then you have the interviews. This also plays into the documentary style of the film. However, I also feel as if this is Allen's commentary on how people are questioned by relatives, friends, and peers when something life altering like divorce happens. Judy even does it in the beginning of the film to Jack and Sally, played wonderfully by Sydney Pollack and Judy Davis respectively. How fair is it to put someone who is going through something pretty emotional through the ringer because you have questions you want answered? This sort of thing is a very private matter, should be a private matter, and others should respect that.

Allen captures everything so wonderfully in most his films. He knows about life and people. He is a magnificent director who I hope to resemble, work wise not looks wise, some day.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. There are several layers to this film to dissect, especially with the relationships and how they all turn out, that I could write about for days. For now, I will leave it here.