In Husbands and Wives, another typical Woody Allen exploration of relationships between screwed-up New Yorkers, the drama centres on two married couples who have been close friends for years. When Jack and Sally (Sydney Pollack and Judy Davis) announce they're breaking up, it exposes the cracks in the relationship between Gabe and Judy (Allen and Mia Farrow). The shenanigans that result are touching, funny and horribly true to life. Jack finds himself a cliché trophy blonde, Sam--an aerobics instructor--and thinks he's got it made until she expounds the eternal truths... of astrology to his friends, humiliating him in the process; Gabe, meanwhile, finds himself increasingly drawn to his precocious student, Rain--beautifully portrayed by Juliette Lewis--while Judy and Sally get involved with the same guy (though not simultaneously), the shy but alluring Michael (Liam Neeson). The touch of genius is to have an off-screen narrator, with whom the main characters share their innermost thoughts, thus drawing the viewer right into the emotional heart of the movie. This is vintage Woody, with gentle but witty observations of human failings. On the DVD: Husbands and Wives is delivered in widescreen with a Dolby Digital soundtrack. The only extra features are trailers for both this and Allen's previous movie, Manhattan Murder Mystery. In addition the audio set-up option is in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and subtitles in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Finnish. --Harriet Smith [show more]
"Husbands and Wives" is undoubtedly one of Woody Allen's most assured films, a movie that deftly combines comedy and drama in a way he'd been steadily working towards for over a decade. With its distinctive handheld camera style, freeing the camera for the first time in Woody's ouevre, the film's perspective shakes and shivers around two central couples going through marital difficulties and dealing with the possibility of a breakup: Woody and then-girlfriend Mia Farrow, and Syndney Pollack and Judy Davis. The jittery, constantly moving cinematography is a perfect complement to the relationship instability of these two couples, especially in the opening scene where the latter two announce their decision to separate. Woody matches this rough camera style with a similar raggedness in the editing, employing frequent ellipses and staggered cuts in a way he hadn't with any regularity since its much more limited use in a single scene from "Stardust Memories." The film is also a kind of summation for Woody, harkening back not only to that film but to "Manhattan" (in the relationship between Woody and the much younger Juliette Lewis) and "Crimes and Misdemeanors" (the opening scene features a snippet of the documentary that Woody's character was making in the earlier movie). In every case, Woody seems to be looking back on his old characters and situations with a newfound maturity and distance, suggesting that his loser persona might someday find success, and that his lecherous old man might forsake an ill-advised affair for a chance at stability.
We will publish your review of Husbands And Wives [1992] on DVD within a few days as long as it meets our guidelines.
None of your personal details will be passed on to any other third party.
Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play A tale of two married couples confronted with change who are forced to re-evaluate universal questions about marriage, fidelity, romance, trust and love. Blending his comedic and dramatic styles, Woody Allen revisits themes from his past films--relationships, commitment, and the complexities of thehuman heart.
Woody Allen's study of marriage and relationships has a documentary feel to it due to the use of a hand-held camera. When fortysomethings Gabe and Judy Roth's (Allen and Mia Farrow) best friends Jack and Sally (Sydney Pollack and Judy Davis) decide to separate Gabe and Judy begin to look at their own marriage. The couple embark on flirtations with other people; Gabe with one of his students (Juliette Lewis) and Judy develops a crush on Sally's new man (Liam Neeson). But they are never truly unfaithful to each other. The film opened just after the real-life scandal involving Allen, Farrow and their adopted daughter.
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy
