Husbands and Wives

Directed by Woody Allen, Husbands and Wives details the turmoil that unfolds within Gabe (Allen) and Judy’s (Mia Farrow) marriage after they discover their close friends (Sydney Pollack’s Jack and Judy Davis’ Sally) are splitting up. Filmmaker Allen, working from his own screenplay, delivers a hit-and-miss drama that is, for the most part, hardly as interesting or absorbing as Allen has surely intended, and it’s clear, certainly, that Husbands and Wives‘ less-than-enthralling atmosphere is compounded (and perpetuated) by Allen’s documentary-like approach to the material – with the jittery visuals generally preventing the viewer from wholeheartedly (or partially) embracing the exploits of the predominantly unlikable characters. It’s apparent, then, that the picture benefits substantially from the superb efforts of its eclectic roster of performers, as Allen elicits top-notch work from his various cast members and does a nice job of transforming the various protagonists into fully-realized, fleshed-out figures. (There’s little doubt, ultimately, that Pollack’s mesmerizing turn here remains an obvious and ongoing highlight within the proceedings.) And although Allen has peppered the narrative with a handful of engrossing sequences, including a fascinating marathon argument between Allen and Farrow’s respective characters, Husbands and Wives is a watchable yet disappointing endeavor often feels as though it should be much, much better.

**1/2 out of ****