Review of Husbands and Wives (1992) by William F — 07 Jul 2010
Marriage and uncertainty.
What fragile terrain.
One seed of doubt, deep in the dirt, germinates and grows like a weed if you let it. It could wrap around our temptations, poke through our meandering thoughts of what could be, and leave the whole tangled mess hanging off the edge of the garden, waiting to be ripped from the ground.
Woody Allen gives a hell of an example, with this biting comedy that will sting you in all the right places. This gem from the early 90s turns in powerful performances from the likes of Sydney Pollack and Judy Davis and some of Woody's most gripping character studies.
This is marriage in the midst of mid-life crises told across the canvas of two couples who begin the film at complete opposite ends of the matrimony spectrum, take a harrowing ride through a brilliant, tumultuous script presented in some amazing hand-held voyeurism, pass each other for a moment like that brief ellipsis in a flipping coin, and land , well, you have to see it.
The middle aged lovers will relate, the young ones should prepare. Passions of our youthful memories can fade if you let them: You can choose to create new ones, choose to accept just the companionship, or choose to give up and move on. There is no one right choice. Not everything is perfect.
But this movie is.
This review of Husbands and Wives (1992) was written by William F on 07 Jul 2010.
Husbands and Wives has generally received very positive reviews.
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