What seemingly starts as a quirky slice-of-life comedy with oddball characters ends up being a ridiculous art-house film that I hated almost as much as John Cassavetes' previous film "Husbands". The film starts with a long conversation between Seymour Cassel and someone he happens to sit with in a restaurant that talks about the different issues of what's going on in their life, and while it was amusing, but by the time Cassell and Gena Rowlands met up, I was truly aggravated. Certainly she is out on the most hideous blind date ever with a total sociopath who turns into a psychopath, and after he rescues her, she leaves after he begins to become rather bizarre as well. He stalks her, forces her into his truck, and after dropping her off at her job, continues to stalk her again. And this is supposed to be romance.
Based on the beginning, I thought I was going to enjoy this movie if not love it, but going from one hideous encounter to another and the rescuer turns out to be just aa bad, I was just aghast by how unrealistic it was and sadly how idiotic Rowland's character became in allowing these men to spend more than just a few fleeting minutes with her. She's already been struck by supposed boyfriend John Cassavetes (who directed this and made an unbilled cameo appearance), then him to spend the night, then allowed him to dump her afterwards. Halfway through the film, I had to reach for something stronger than just a regular aspirin because the screaming of all the characters with the exception of Rowland, really began to make me feel ill.
It's obvious to me that John Cassavettes films are going to be a mixed bag not for everybody, and had this been about her situation dealing with unpleasant people oh, I would have accepted that. What I did not accept was the fact that the situation becomes entirely absurd and unrealistic and the writing is truly off the wall to the point where I couldn't put up with it anymore. This only gets three stars from me because of Rowlands who can uplift any film. Cassel, who got an Oscar nomination for "Faces", is absolutely hideous and unlikable. I can only describe this with an analogy to the Los Angeles hot dog restaurant Pinks where a key scene takes place. Like Cassettes early films, completely overrated.
Based on the beginning, I thought I was going to enjoy this movie if not love it, but going from one hideous encounter to another and the rescuer turns out to be just aa bad, I was just aghast by how unrealistic it was and sadly how idiotic Rowland's character became in allowing these men to spend more than just a few fleeting minutes with her. She's already been struck by supposed boyfriend John Cassavetes (who directed this and made an unbilled cameo appearance), then him to spend the night, then allowed him to dump her afterwards. Halfway through the film, I had to reach for something stronger than just a regular aspirin because the screaming of all the characters with the exception of Rowland, really began to make me feel ill.
It's obvious to me that John Cassavettes films are going to be a mixed bag not for everybody, and had this been about her situation dealing with unpleasant people oh, I would have accepted that. What I did not accept was the fact that the situation becomes entirely absurd and unrealistic and the writing is truly off the wall to the point where I couldn't put up with it anymore. This only gets three stars from me because of Rowlands who can uplift any film. Cassel, who got an Oscar nomination for "Faces", is absolutely hideous and unlikable. I can only describe this with an analogy to the Los Angeles hot dog restaurant Pinks where a key scene takes place. Like Cassettes early films, completely overrated.