Husbands and Wives Reviews

Whether you are a fan of Allen or not, this film needs to be watched for the opening scene alone. When Jack (Sydney Pollack) and Sally (Sally Davis) come over for a dinner at their friend's Gabe (Woody Allen) and Judy's (Mia Farrow) house, they inform the unexpecting couple that their marriage is dissolving. This is where Allen's genius comes in. Rather than focusing on Jack & Sally, he focuses on Gabe & Judy's reaction to the news and the implications it has on their own marriage. Using a handheld, Allen invasively follows Gabe and Judy. As the camera shakes and follows the disquieted couple, you really get the sense that this news has shaken their foundation. It is a brilliant scene and in my opinion, Woody's best.

I have decided that I will limit myself to one Woody Allen film in the films I consider my "favorites," and this shall be the one. Annie Hall may be the world's darling, but this is truly a neglected jewel in the American cinema. It's clever ("Life doesn't imitate art; it imitates bad television" haha Juliette Lewis LOVE), manipulative, and filled to the brim with memorable chracters. And my god Judy Davis is SO GREAT to watch. Her magnetism is like, arresting.

After awhile some of the Woody Allen films start to merge together but I clearly remember this one. Parallels to Woody's own life abound with stand out performances from Sydney Pollack and Judy Davis.

I think the more personal Woody Allen makes his dramas the better they are. The documentary style is extremely effective and Judy Davis gives one of the greatest supporting performances I've ever seen.

I'm adding an extra half star to this for sticking with me almost a month after I watched it.

One of my fav Woody Allen pictures. "Husband And Wives" sort of reminds me Denys Arcand's movie "The Decline of the American Empire". You have two married couples and one of them makes a speech about a seperation. I think the reality is the married couple on the verge of seperation(Sydney Pollack, Judy Davis) feels they aren't competitive enough with couple number two)Woody Allen, Mia Farrow).

To Allen and Farrow this is a complete blow, almost where they feel threatned that their friends is breaking up. This is an interesting study to see how relationships develops through good and bad. It is almost amazing to see the Pollack character date a young woman in her twenties after his break up. It's clear he's just making up all that time that he's lost when he was locked and married. Now he feels liberated and free that he's managed to find his fantasy girlfriend, only thing is fantasies don't last that long...

But what about Allen and Farrow's characters? Judy(Farrow) is way to passive agressive. She insinuates herself to get whatever she wants and it's unbelivable that she succeeds. As for Allen? He becomes attracted to one of his students played by Juliette Lewis. I guess it's difficult for male teachers to be tempted by their good looking female students.

Allen is wise showing the conflicts within the relationships that it's almost sort of uneasy to watch. Only because it's happen to people in real life and in most relationships you gotta argue and debate and have emotional feelings because after all we're only human. I noticed the jerky hand held style Allen decided to attempt and although I didn't like it in "Manhattan Murder Mystery" the style feels right for "Husbands and Wives" and the documentary feel since all the characters talk about their personal relationships.

"Husbands And Wives" is a movie i've watched over and over and never seemed to get tired off. Sometimes I wonder and say "Is this what being in a relationship is all about?". So many consequences one can imagine.

This plot was predictable and not especially interesting.

Bergman material meets New Wave flair, with Woodyisms sprinkled in: a mix that's far from perfect, but not as I would have predicted if you'd told me this was what I was getting into beforehand.

one of the better woody allen films, it gets into serious issues involving married couples, and just relationships in general, showing how a lot of times we dont know what we want, and how it can change, and that this can hurt others in the process, there are no easy answers, and in the end someone ends up hurt, its also ironic how this was released at the same time as woodys scandal, and how this kind of mirrored it

The struggles of marriage, or at least the struggles of Woody Allen's marriages. Painfully telling and truthful. Not as good as many other Allen films about relationships, but still worth seeing. Once.

Honest, incisive, gutsy Woody Allen drama. It will make you want to either never get married, or immediately get out of your marriage! The hand-held photography calls attention to itself too much. But, Allen here creates one of his best films.

This is probably the darkest Woody Allen movie I've seen so far, which is funny because it's not that different from his other films. It's about how people in love are irrational and unreliable and emotionally dishonest, yet the way its conveyed is different. This isn't gone about in the funny-but-actually-quite-sad way that Manhattan or Annie Hall is. It's deliberately discomforting. Scenes that are normally framed with by one off jokes are now scenes of fighting and neurotic bickering. It's difficult to watch life long relationships broken apart by bitterness when the characters are consumed by doubt, but it has to be accounted for. And if Woody Allen wants to hold a mirror to reality, this is a necessary film in his long filmography.

A great film from Woody Allen, just great. The acting is terrific from all the cast members. LIAM NEESON! Woody Allen is a good actor and portrays a great character, he's my favorite in this film. The movie has a very realistic storyline about one couple separating and another falling apart throughout the film. The ending was pretty predictable for me but I felt so bad for Gabe at the end. Husbands and Wives is a fantastic and wonderful film with a great cast and decent plot.

There is just something about him that I just violently despise. Without being judgmental of his lifestyle, I can just tell he is a dirty, selfish scumbag. And, he is. such a deviant mind...like a rat...searching the dark crevices of life and exploiting them on film.

pointed comentary about mariages, very solid cast, but extremely boring. do not be fooled by the statement on the cover fiercely funny.

i can only watch one other woody allen film (the purple rose of cairo). that one has a plot that got to me from the first scene. this one has judy davis. she is an edgy, vitriolic delight as an unhappily married career woman in manhattan(is there any other kind?)

I really liked the way the story was structured with the characters being interviewed between scenes.

Movie is an excellent study of relationships. Often overlooked via Allen/Farrow's courtroom mess at the time of release. Judy Davis steals the show.

W. Allen talks about religion and science: "Look, if I had to choose between an air conditioner and the Pope, I would choose the air conditioner." Wait, that's another movie.

A closer look into commitment. Woody Allen explore human realtions, from the dark to the lighter side. Careful when you choose to see this movie. If you are going through "break-up" blues...don't. Emotional discretion is adviced.