Discontentment works
On suburban souls needing
Words and affection
Faces (John Cassavetes, 1968)
The films of John Cassavetes are some of the most brilliant, observant and complex portraits of adult relationships in all of world cinema. There are no stereotypes, no clichés, no simple motives. These are the stories of Americans struggling to communicate, seeking some sort of resolution or emotional connection. The emotional squalor of late-60’s suburbia is being tapped here, the offhand camera finding bits and pieces of people as they circle each other like predators or hide behind their verbal assaults. Few film experiences leave me as devastated as Faces, but even then, the devastation seems cathartic as the morning seeping through the curtains, down the stairs into the kitchen as the night ends and the silent walk up the stairs to bed.
This film is available on DVD from the Criterion Collection.
Cinema Haiku #0007
