Husbands (1970)

Husbands is a fascinating cinematic exercise, the kind of film that infuriates some, bores many others and utterly captivates a select few. As with many John Cassavetes films, it's a "love it or hate it" experience. Its detractors can point with great justification to its flaws: the film itself is not only overlong, but many individual scenes within it are overlong -- and not by just a few seconds. The improvisational nature of the film means that it lacks narrative cohesiveness, points are made indirectly if at all, and the focus is unclear from one moment to the next. One watches the film and grows increasingly frustrated. But this seems to be exactly what Cassavetes intended. The men he is studying are themselves frustrated. They feel trapped. They want to escape their lives, and not just through a long weekend in London. Cassavetes creates a similar sense of unease in the viewer. Whether this is artistically brilliant or pretentious and sophomoric depends upon the individual viewer. But those who are able to give themselves over to Cassavetes will find Husbands immensely rewarding, an exhausting probe into the psyche of middle-aged, middle class American males circa 1970. Such viewers will leave not with insight but with comprehension of a small corner of American culture. They will also leave with a great appreciation of the acting talents of Cassavetes, Peter Falk and Ben Gazzara, whose work here is irreplaceable. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide