Mike Nichols' dramatic film about the separate sexual journeys of two male friends from college to middle-age got critical raves upon its release, but it doesn't quite live up to the kudos; it's not so much overrated as it is overwrought. Though a well-acted piece, it condescends towards the audience with a self-satisfied conception. There's hardly an actual plot, and the screenplay is fake-literate: it's made up of heated dialogue exchanges which purport to show how men treat women, yet it may very well be just these men. The film is smug, with too much of the rabble-rousing disintegrating into melodramatic soap. It does feature fine acting, from Arthur Garfunkel and Ann-Margret in particular, but Jack Nicholson is uneven (and he always seems to be in the shower!). The arty shots (close-ups held a long time on each character's face) aren't there to reveal anything special--they're just there to show-off the director's prowess. I eventually tired of the back-and-forth arguing and female crying, though I do see the merit in the acting and in some of what Nichols was trying to accomplish. **1/2 from ****
Review of Carnal Knowledge
