Husbands and Wives poster & wallpaper

Benno Schmidt, Bruce Jay Friedman, Cristi Conaway

Story about a married professor who falls in love with one of his students.

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84% liked it

8,158 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

34 critics

R, 1 hr. 48 min.

Directed by: Woody Allen

Release Date: September 18, 1992

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DVD Release Date: April 16, 2002

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Stats: 415 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (415)

  • her69eyes
    July 23, 2008
    her69eyes
    While I was watching this film, a few things about it really started to grate on me. I'm new to Allen's work, and i'm not yet accustomed to his "world", if you will. I find it fairly offensive and one-dimensional that all of his characters are driven by nothing but sexual impulse...( read more)s, and the generalizations of an average couple in this film are very typical and offputting. While a lot of these themes about couples do ring true, I don't think it's fair to set your movie in a world that's so extreme on one side that anything slightly different is immediately obscure and foreign within it's own setting. I haven't read a lot of other opinions on Allen's work, but i'm sure i'm not the only one who feels these exact same things.

    Then, about an hour in the film, the script completely addressed my complaints. It was one of the most surreal movie moments i've ever experienced. There's a scene where Juliette Lewis' character is dissecting a novel that Allen wrote - talking about everything i've mentioned. Saying that everything in his novel is completely exaggerated and unfulfilling. Allen then tells her it's supposed to be exaggerated - he's simply making a point about couples. It's not necessarily supposed to be completely true or autobiographical. Suddenly, I couldn't be upset about the film's direction anymore. While it was a bit excessive and it's characters were far too reliant on relationships to the point where it seemed like they had no life outside of sex, it's a film that's completely self aware. And addressing it was not only extremely mature, but in a way - hilarious.

    "Husbands and Wives" centers around two long-married couples. At the beginning of the film, news breaks that one of the couples is going to get divorced. Suddenly, both couples realize the vulnerability of marriage - and the fact that even the most mature and adult relationships are completely imperfect.

    This film is meant to look like a documentary, and that's made very clear just moments into the film. In the scene I just mentioned, the camera swoops in and out frantically. It's "Cloverfield" minus the big monster and 20-something models. If the handheld camera style of filming isn't enough, we get a narrator addressing the characters as if it was a documentary on the Discovery channel, and there's even "confessional" shots straight out of "The Office". At first the talking head scenes didn't exactly work for me as I felt it was rather silly and almost cheap in a way - as if it was simply a shortcut to allow the characters to just SAY what they're feeling at all times. However, it certainly proves effective in the end. While the scenes are reminiscent of "Taxi Cab Confessions", we feel more like a psychiatrist as we watch the characters become more self aware and come to crucial realizations.

    To me, the more interesting relationship was between Jack (Sydney Pollack) and Sally (Judy Davis). I don't feel like Judy got enough screentime, and Gabe's character was familiar already... but, Jack and Sally's relationship had an extremely interesting dynamic. I guess you can credit that completely to two wonderful performances. Sydney Pollack stated that he didn't "like" his character in the film, which I found kind of odd. He certainly wasn't a wonderful guy, but his portrayal was honest. Also, Judy Davis is equally wonderful in her role as Sally. That being said, I do feel she was a bit too snobby to find compassionate.

    The film's "young" characters, Michael (Liam Neeson), Rain (Juliette Lewis), and Sam (Lysette Anthony) all also work exceptionally well. Just about every scene with Rain and Gabe is charming and romantic (although strikingly too familiar to Allen's personal life), and although Sam was as cliche of a character as you could possibly have, I thought her character and "transformation" (more like unveiling) was powerful. The scene with Jack and Sam outside of the party was extremely memorable.

    This is a film that at times feels like it has a bit too much to say, but that's certainly better than not having enough to say at all. It's a very cleverly written character study with wonderful performances all around. While it's situations are certainly not new, it's execution is just about as good as it gets.
  • dooritor1
    April 20, 2008
    dooritor1
    ugh. lame. i hate mia farrow. shes so ugly.
  • EarthlyAlien
    January 20, 2008
    EarthlyAlien
    One of Woody Allen's most obvious and dedicated looks at relationships, marriage and man-wife dynamic, in the style of Hannah and Her Sisters, with humor that's all the more effective thanks to its dark, edgy context. Judy Davis contributes a lot with a memorable performance.
  • zeravenyoej
    June 13, 2007
    zeravenyoej
    I'm adding an extra half star to this for sticking with me almost a month after I watched it.
  • graveling861
    March 9, 2009
    graveling861
    This plot was predictable and not especially interesting.
  • FutureMrsNeeson
    September 4, 2009
    FutureMrsNeeson
    Liam Neeson is in it so I NEED 2 SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • SageSlowdive
    August 16, 2009
    SageSlowdive
    Wanna see a bad movie trying to seem good? This is it.
  • firstsonxb
    April 14, 2009
    firstsonxb
    pointed comentary about mariages, very solid cast, but extremely boring. do not be fooled by the statement on the cover fiercely funny.
  • sashkomak
    March 31, 2009
    sashkomak
    another woody alen movie,super!!!
  • Soundsofmadness
    March 28, 2009
    Soundsofmadness
    No thankyou - Not interested

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Critic Reviews

May 12, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Husbands and Wives is a defining film for these emotionally embattled times; it's classic Woody Allen. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

What Husbands and Wives argues is that many "rational" relationships are actually not as durable as they seem, because somewhere inside every person is a child crying me! me! me! full review

View more Husbands and Wives reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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Husbands and Wives Trivia

  • Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton joined forces against their no-good husbands in what movie?  Answer »
  • What actor said the following? "They all have husbands and wives and children and houses and dogs, and, you know, they've all made themselves a part of something and they can talk about what they do. What am I gonna say? "I killed the president of Paraguay with a fork. How've you been?"   Answer »
  • Diane Keaton, Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn as three women who find support in each other when their husbands leave them for younger women. It has the tagline "Don't Get Mad, Get Everything".  Answer »
  • Diane Keaton, Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn are three women who find support in each other when their husbands leave them for younger women. It has the tagline "Don't Get Mad, Get Everything".   Answer »
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