Faces

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Simon T @MovieTart Sep 22, 2026 Another Cassavetes endurance test. The actors aren't to blame. But once you've seen one improvised, rambling, often incoherent and certainly self-indulgent Cassavetes effort, there's really no need to see others - and yes, I include 'Woman Under the Influence', a film that's always been overpraised, not least for the self-conscious acting of Gena Rowlands. See more Leprechaun K @LeprechaunKing Mar 13, 2026 Cassavetes once again focuses on the theme of a struggling marriage. Unless his other classics, Faces just doesn't seem to connect. Most scenes are painfully long without much substance. Performances are at times awkward and seem unnatural. See more Isa B @RT32418990 Jun 5, 2025 Unhinged. Superb performances by everyone in the picture. All of the conversations have such an authentic feel to them. The film grain is a beautiful uniting visual element. This is one of the most realistic depictions of excessive alcohol use and the behaviors associated with it, that I've ever seen. People in the film get so abruptly offended which is quite funny and even awkward at times. John Cassavettes was a master at capture those real moments. Quentin Tarantino once said of Cassavettes' that he didn't shoot his films, but rather he captured them. He wouldn't spend 3 hours lighting and area, nor would he be especially concerned with the camera being perfectly in focus. He captured realistic moments of emotion. His films were so honest. Personally, I consider Faces to be the finest of his career. 100/100 🏆 See more William L @RT77267842 Jul 30, 2021 The unifying aspect that I've come to recognize in many of Cassavetes' films on relationships is this relentless need to depict people as near-schizophrenic in their wild emotional swings; in some, like Woman Under the Influence, this phenomenon is a justified and critical plot point, but in Faces nearly every character suffers from these borderline manic personalities, which are often intended to highlight the key moments of a fracturing relationship. Rage blends in with raucous laughter which suddenly collapses into uncomfortable silences. It comes off not so much as a sincere romance at even its most torrid moments, as it does simple overacting or variety for the sake of variety. Accompanying these character designs is a love-it-or-hate-it cinéma vérité shooting style that incorporates more grain than Nebraska, a mobile camera that follows its subjects around, and a penchant for extreme proximity to the subject. For me, this is Cassavetes still trying to find his directorial footing, having identified his sweet spot of very personal social dramas, but not yet quite figuring out that he really needed more of Rowlands (and characters that don't need to scream to express emotion) to make it all come together. (2.5/5) See more Ken R @RT36478503 May 7, 2021 Yet another John Cassavetes movie with all his trademark overindulgences; overacting, needlessly overlong sequences, with cheap camera work, lighting and editing. Those who can stand self-important ‘home-movies' that masquerade as ‘art' to provide work for his drinking pals and family - while rambling on endlessly about precious little - may convince themselves they are having a ‘good time'. Others will do better to find something of value to immerse themselves in. Apologies to fans, but watching these movies amounts to witnessing actor abuse, and this one boasts a total waste of the interesting Lyn Carlin (in her first role) See more s r @ScottR Sep 2, 2020 1001 movies to see before you die. Having just seen three Rowland movies, this one put me over the top. It was depressing. See more Read all reviews

Faces

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