Six Degrees of Separation (1993)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Bob S

  
  Way better than I expected. Stockard Channing was outstanding, the story was absorbing and I found it easy to forgive the obvious theatricality of the whole affair. Strangely for a drawing-room comedy - this film features some dynamite widescreen cinematography.

• Luke B

  
  Transferring stage plays to the screen is very tricky. By their nature plays are more dialogue heavy and are set in a much smaller world, often limited rooms etc. This is one of the films that seems to have a lot of trouble in transforming one medium to another. Lengthy dialogue… More
  Transferring stage plays to the screen is very tricky. By their nature plays are more dialogue heavy and are set in a much smaller world, often limited rooms etc. This is one of the films that seems to have a lot of trouble in transforming one medium to another. Lengthy dialogue isn't the problem though, it's the continuous retelling at different social occasions. Of course this all becomes the point by the last scene but it still feels awkward. The film could have shown so much more and rather than criticised the high-class wealthy elite it could have gone deeper into Paul's psychosis. At least for the audience if not the main characters. The film also revels in the fact it swings around issues of gays/blacks and both as though it is proclaiming something brand new and fascinating. Will Smith's refusal to actually kiss Anthony Michael Hall at the time says more about being black and gay than this whole film. It's certainly acted well for the most part, though it is clear to see how Smith has improved over the years. The humour also goes some way to creating a more enjoyable experience.

• Candy R

  
  Will's character is very interesting. Is there really 6 degrees of separation?

• Jason S

  
  Strang movie featuring a gay Will Smith.

• Sarah P

  
  I enjoyed this movie. It was interesting and also funny..."You bought me that pink shirt for my new body. I loved that shirt!" Hilarious...and touching. You really felt for Paul and by the end, Ouisa too.

• Chosen 7

  
  Good film, great writing. Will Smith really became that character, he delivered such a great performance so early in his actor career.

• Sunil J

  
  Pretty interesting. Will Smith first real acting role.

• Miriam K

  
  Good early work by will smith.

• John A

  
  I'm not sure whether this film wants to be about art, or be considered a piece of art. The sophisticated editing, elegant score, intelligent script and insightful characters suggest the latter, but the film's final speech implies the message is actually about… More
  I'm not sure whether this film wants to be about art, or be considered a piece of art. The sophisticated editing, elegant score, intelligent script and insightful characters suggest the latter, but the film's final speech implies the message is actually about life-experience; art is just a method of capturing a moment or an idea. 'Six Degrees of Separation' is an odd title, alluding to the idea that one person can be connected to any other in the world through a chain of six people. Why the film is titled as such is ambiguous, but I'm guessing it's the formation of Stockard Channing's emotional connection to drifter / con-man Will Smith who, despite profound and lengthy conversation, remains a stranger to her. Will Smith is a surprise in a rather serious role, and Donald Sutherland is good as the wealthy art dealer, but Channing practically carries the film; her eyes and performance are more meaningful, the delivery of her dialogue more genuine and her manner sophisticated. In what could have been a weak-ending to a marvellous film, she pulls it off surprisingly close to perfection. Nearly the entire narrative appears to be told in flashback, but not as one story - the director dashes back and forth between an array of tales that connect remarkably well. I have never seen such a talky picture remain so compelling and intoxicating; it's like listening intently to a dinner-party conversation that has taken an unexpected route. In fact, that's more or less what it is. We learn how the upper class Kittredge's were duped into welcoming a stranger into their seemingly important lives; we learn how other members of the couple's social circle suffered the same fate; and how 'Paul' came to be the confused drifter he is. But most significantly we learn the dramatic impact his appearance had on Channing's Louisa, and how who you know moulds you as a person. So really the film is just a film and isn't really about art at all. It's about people, decisions, reality and delusion. Can you know a con-man? Is his persona all you need to know? I'm still not sure, but it leaves me wondering all the same.

• Kevin M

  
  Will Smith portrays a role that you won't expect. I now realize that it's a movie for few. Don't expect a comedy, this film features an unexpected gay nude scene.

• Linda K

  
  Interesting script and actors also.

Read all 11 featured audience ratings