This is the kind of film I enjoyed more when I was younger. Once you get past the gritty atmosphere, the vivid performances all around and the audacious storytelling, this is a summary of a toxic relationship that simply will not die. It's also a compelling depiction of how hopeless people might be stuck with each other for life. The good news is, the acting is exceptional. The bad news is, the film's conclusion strains credibility.
When I first saw this, it captured my imagination. Many years later, I'm no longer wowed by this film because it mostly reminds me of all the wackadoo people I've come across in my life (this is especially true with Sean Penn's character), the kind of people who seemed amiable enough on the surface but deep down had too many loose screws for anything other than a superficial interaction. Robin Wright's character is a mixed bag in this film. One could initially admire her transformation in the middle of the film but her subsequent back-sliding is something you'll either be in awe of or irritated by. John Travolta might be the only real bright spot in all of this, as he is only adult who refuses to buy into the film's anarchy and unscrupulousness.
I wish I could still run with this film as easily as when I first saw it, but instead having gotten to know human nature as well as I have, this film reminds me too much of human nature's dark underbelly. I have seen enough reality that I don't need to see it on screen anymore. Recommended only to devout Cassavettes fans.
When I first saw this, it captured my imagination. Many years later, I'm no longer wowed by this film because it mostly reminds me of all the wackadoo people I've come across in my life (this is especially true with Sean Penn's character), the kind of people who seemed amiable enough on the surface but deep down had too many loose screws for anything other than a superficial interaction. Robin Wright's character is a mixed bag in this film. One could initially admire her transformation in the middle of the film but her subsequent back-sliding is something you'll either be in awe of or irritated by. John Travolta might be the only real bright spot in all of this, as he is only adult who refuses to buy into the film's anarchy and unscrupulousness.
I wish I could still run with this film as easily as when I first saw it, but instead having gotten to know human nature as well as I have, this film reminds me too much of human nature's dark underbelly. I have seen enough reality that I don't need to see it on screen anymore. Recommended only to devout Cassavettes fans.