Faces
Director: John Cassavetes
Year Released: 1968
Rating: 3.5
Saw it once before and was slightly underwhelmed, then though pleased - the cinéma vérité/black-and-white approach genuinely works, and the film is remarkably effective - today it comes off even better, perhaps because of my age. It's a story about infidelity and, ultimately, the sadness associated with growing older, the use of alcohol as an excuse to "act out" like a child - it's a faucet that can be turned off - the consequences of adultery, the stagnant sexual drive in older women. No real plot points are presented to speak of, and most of it feels improvised if not entirely real - are these people acting? Certainly has the feel of a French film - it's daring, sad and true ... though maybe too exhausting.
