Cassavetes is an underrated legend of writing, acting and directing. This is a raw look into masculinity going through crisis coming from Cassavetes personal experience of losing his brother. Falk & Gazzara match the chaos that Cassavetes always portrays with ease and I could watch them all day.

Cassavetes is an underrated legend of writing, acting and directing. This is a raw look into masculinity going through crisis coming from Cassavetes personal experience of losing his brother. Falk & Gazzara match the chaos that Cassavetes always portrays with ease and I could watch them all day.

Lads trip lads trip

Lads trip lads trip

Such a whiplash to watch this after Faces. Cassavetes' hyper-realism and movie magic work against him in Husbands, as the material at hand is quite unbearable. I love how he writes women, but that quality isn't put to work when there are no women leads. I think color is one of the cons here, as well. The almost Lynchian, out-of-body feel of intimacy isn't as prevalent; the authenticity is disjointed, like found footage. Dire.

Such a whiplash to watch this after Faces. Cassavetes' hyper-realism and movie magic work against him in Husbands, as the material at hand is quite unbearable. I love how he writes women, but that quality isn't put to work when there are no women leads. I think color is one of the cons here, as well. The almost Lynchian, out-of-body feel of intimacy isn't as prevalent; the authenticity is disjointed, like found footage. Dire.

Its scenes ramble at times, but at its core, it holds a unique voice in the exploration of adult male friendships. There becomes a cadence of how you talk, what you talk about, and how you act around each other. To differ from that norm – especially to a place that’s more intimate – is to disrupt the relationship. But even in this unhealthy protective veil, I think there’s an element of unspoken understanding of this dynamic and a sort of coded language that can represent both an upholding of those norms and an intimate connection point.

Its scenes ramble at times, but at its core, it holds a unique voice in the exploration of adult male friendships. There becomes a cadence of how you talk, what you talk about, and how you act around each other. To differ from that norm – especially to a place that’s more intimate – is to disrupt the relationship. But even in this unhealthy protective veil, I think there’s an element of unspoken understanding of this dynamic and a sort of coded language that can represent both an upholding of those norms and an intimate connection point.

A very difficult film both in terms of structure and subject matter. John Cassavetes gets very loose with the structure of both the films cut and the story itself as there really isn’t a traditional plot. I remember hearing someone (I think it was karsten runquist) describe that watching a David Lynch movie, you should be more on what you feel while watching them and less about understanding what is happening, and I think that describes this film pretty well. 

Cassevetas leaves in a lot of very long, often very uncomfortable sequences, of these guys being belligerent, depressed, paranoid or unhinged often to the detriment of those (typically women) around them. Its a very tough watch and often what is depicted feels a bit drawn out but I won’t lie in saying that I find it all very fascinating. There is a clear portrait of these characters as grieving both their friend and their own youths and you feel bad…until you don’t, but you still kind of understand why they behave in the way they do.

The phrase “toxic masculinity” gets thrown out a lot but I think this film is one of the best demonstrations of that concept I’ve ever seen, not just because of their uncomfortable treatment of women, but in the way all of their negative traits are exacerbated by their inability to process grief. Anytime any character feels like their about to express an emotion through conversation, they can’t. They can’t really be around each other without arguing. They can’t be around other people without either alienating them or abusing them. They can’t go home but they can’t keep staying out. 

Personally, this is the kind of film I do not see myself ever watching again but I do have a lot of respect for the way it tells its story in such an untraditional way.

A very difficult film both in terms of structure and subject matter. John Cassavetes gets very loose with the structure of both the films cut and the story itself as there really isn’t a traditional plot. I remember hearing someone (I think it was karsten runquist) describe that watching a David Lynch movie, you should be more on what you feel while watching them and less about understanding what is happening, and I think that describes this film pretty well. 

Cassevetas leaves in a lot of very long, often very uncomfortable sequences, of these guys being belligerent, depressed, paranoid or unhinged often to the detriment of those (typically women) around them. Its a very tough watch and often what is depicted feels a bit drawn out but I won’t lie in saying that I find it all very fascinating. There is a clear portrait of these characters as grieving both their friend and their own youths and you feel bad…until you don’t, but you still kind of understand why they behave in the way they do.

The phrase “toxic masculinity” gets thrown out a lot but I think this film is one of the best demonstrations of that concept I’ve ever seen, not just because of their uncomfortable treatment of women, but in the way all of their negative traits are exacerbated by their inability to process grief. Anytime any character feels like their about to express an emotion through conversation, they can’t. They can’t really be around each other without arguing. They can’t be around other people without either alienating them or abusing them. They can’t go home but they can’t keep staying out. 

Personally, this is the kind of film I do not see myself ever watching again but I do have a lot of respect for the way it tells its story in such an untraditional way.