Mikey and Nicky (1976)

If John Cassavetes didn't appear in Mikey and Nicky, you could call it a rip-off. Depending on how you look at it -- as either the best Cassavetes film Cassavetes never made, or a lot of borrowed gestures that don't quite match the work of their inspiration -- Elaine May's third directorial effort carries with it many of the same problems of Cassavetes' films. Both Cassavetes and Peter Falk deliver intense performances exploring the unspoken boundaries between two lifelong friends, and there's an immediacy to the film's portrayal of Philadelphia's grimy underbelly, but after a while it starts to feel so belabored that its virtues become obscured. While definitely worth a look for fans of May and/or Cassavetes, and certainly not deserving of the hands-off treatment it received upon its initial release, newcomers to the work of either director should work their way through better films before tackling this one. ~ Keith Phipps, All Movie Guide