Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)

The Age of Commercialism

That was an excellent one.

Did you people see the same film I saw?

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

It's often said by his boosters, that Cassavetes' films are about truth. Well, putting aside the manifest fallacy that any art can be 'truth', even were one to accept that premise, this film is a walking, talking testament for the need of a little judicious fibbing, every so often, to up the art quotient. Yes, the realism of certain humorous scenes is way above the typical Hollywood screwball domestic comedies of earlier times, but Cassavetes ruins their power by never relenting, never letting a mature nor subtle dramatic moment exist between the two leads. There is no vulnerability shown, no moderation brinked, and thus Moskowitz comes across as a dislikable, if not despicable, person, and one that, in a truly 'truthful' film, someone like Minnie Moore would not waste a minute of her life on, much less a doomed marriage. And you just know that the 'marriage' of these two characters will last no longer than the film they're in, but Cassavetes accepts it and wants you too, as well. Fine, but acceptance is not caring, and without a character to care for, or empathize with, few films can succeed.Even though the clothes and sayings are passé, that is not the reason this film has not aged well. When it was made, all independent films were thought to have that rough, shoestring budget quality, and it seemed a virtue, of sorts, but too much has changed. Indy filmmakers like John Sayles and David Gordon Green have shown that a low budget does not automatically equal a low quality film, so this film simply looks cheap, silly, dated, and amateurish in all technical aspects, but especially so in the writing, where loose ends hang all over the place. My wife told me, when it was over, that she felt like she was waiting for a punchline that never came, and it's true, for Minnie And Moskowitz is not really a single film, but more like a series of brilliant and horrible vignettes, or blackout sketches, that never quite connect up into a coherent whole to be enjoyed. Had the film recapitulated that feeling into the romance it might have been something wonderful. As it is, it is merely a noble, but head-scratching, failure.

Zelmo says "people that listen continuously are much more interesting than people that talk continuously" He doesn't get the girl. Seymour says "I think about you so much I forget to go to the bathroom." He gets the girl. "When I'm with someone I want to get away." This is the girl speaking. Her name is Minnie . She also says "I don't like men. They smile too much. You see a lot of teeth." This is no ordinary love story. Correction this is an extraordinary love story where Minnie ultimately becomes a Moskowitz which is difficult to say with a straight face. But the ultimate romance is between John Cassavetes and the English language. Forget the popcorn, to eternally enjoy Minnie &Moskowitz, have a notepad and some shorthand and "if you have bread, we can make toast."

This is the only film I have ever walked out on. The extreme senseless violence, lack of energy, dim cinematography and inane characters combine to take boring to new heights. Blech. If someone could tell me why this film was so widely regarded, I'd appreciate it.

Possibly John Cassavetes best film to date, and definitely his funniest. Seymour Cassel plays the young Moskowitz smitten with real-life wife of Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, excellent as usual. A must see gem of a film, if you can locate it.