Carnal Knowledge
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Movie Reviews of Carnal Knowledge
Movie Review: Mike Nichols, master director
Summary: 5 Stars
The kind of quality film making rareley seen these days. The cinematography is superb and directing is masterfull. Even after all these years these characters remain true to their roles. I did not thing of Murphy Brown or Bridge Over Troubled Water. A beautifully made film not to be confused with that awfull '90's ripoff 'Singles'. Jules Feifer's screenplay is one of the best and Ann-margret's performance of Robby is proof of Nichols genious. A film worthy to be part of the '70's golden age. The director truly emerged.Movie Review: Carnal Knowledge
Summary: 5 Stars
Less universal to some than the directors equally acute film "The Graduate," this is an early showcase for Nicholson in a role he was born to play. Garfunkel is surprisingly restrained as his long-suffering friend. Both Candice Bergen and Ann Margret excel as love interests. The films great virtue is its mix of male humor and camaraderie with the darker side of life: isolation, loneliness and missed opportunities.Movie Review: Caustic and involving
Summary: 5 Stars
The Bottom Line:
A "romantic" movie in the vein of Mike Nichols' more recent "Closer," Carnal Knowledge features thoroughly unlikeable yet very relatable characters who evolve from college to adulthood without ever maturing in the matter of love and relationships; with perfect performances by the leads and an inspired finishing scene, it's a very good film.
3.5/4
Movie Review: Fine Study in Failed Personalities
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie struck a chord with me, having dealt with some very similar people during my lifetime. Events depicted in the film aren't as relevant as the personalities behind the events. Nicholson's character is most certainly a sociopath--shallow, manipulative, vain, and unable express genuine emotions or empathize with the pain he inflicts upon others. He desires the 'perfect' woman, a (preferably) buxom woman who can give him great sex and then turn into a little china doll to be placed on a shelf until she's needed again. It's that simple. He eventually finds 'happiness' in the form of Rita Moreno--a woman who is willing to act out Nicholson's fantasies with him, right down to speaking a very precisely planned dialogue.
Ann-Margret's character is a tragic figure. Having been used all of her life as a sex toy, she "shacks up" with Nicholson in the hope of finding true love. But her personality isn't nearly strong enough to reform him. She fears being alone and unloved above all else and is willing to repeatedly swallow her pride while taking abuse in the hope that everything will somehow turn out all right. She is a classic example of a kept woman who ends up losing her soul. She is willing to share everything with men who will never share anything of themselves with her.
Candice Bergen, despite her second billing, has a relatively small role as an innocent woman (unlike Ann-Margret) who succumbs to Nicholson's charms despite being involved with his 'best friend.' She is an example of women who go for the bad guy, the rebel, the wolf, in their youth before settling down with a good guy as they mature.
Garfunkel's character is something of a paradox. He's a nice guy who envies Nicholson's bad boy ways and conquests. As a result, he, too, finds himself straying in an attempt to find his niche.
Rounding out the major players is Cynthia O'Neal, in the role of Garfunkel's one-time girfriend Cindy. She is as strong as Nicholson, something that intrigues and attracts him greatly. Still, in the end, he must know that it would be the equivalent of mixing fire and gasoline. But that doesn't stop him from trying to play with fire.
Overall, a very enlightening character study.
Movie Review: Great early Nichols
Summary: 4 Stars
Another great early Nichols. He was on one mean ... streak I tell ya. Virgina Wolf, the The Graduate, Catch 22, and then this film. Which is: Very well done, Very mature, extremely confident in it's telling, thought provoking, well acted, well written, etc.Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkle star as best buds in this story that follows their sexual encounters from college to middle age. That's really it. No other action takes place in this movie that doesn't have something to do with, yup, Carnal Knowledge. Good title too. Don't you think? Just grabs you.
Like Catch 22, which I just saw, this movie is all about great framing and long one takes. Even though this movie takes place almost completely inside and is very much like a play, it is very cinematic. Nichols always has the camera in the right place, or at least an interesting place. The structure of the film is also so interesting. It just pops around from sexaul encounter to sexual encounter. And it addresses the whole spectrum...: first love, to marriage, to adultery, to apathy, to..well, it covers a lot. And though it tends to focus mainly on the negative, which can be a little bleak, it sure is real.
At times it can be a little slow and a little tedious (you sort of feel Nichols getting a little TOO into some of these long takes), but this remains a very good, intelligent, unflinching movie. Check it out.
B, B+