#8 - Carnal Knowledge

I was looking forward to this movie for two reasons. First, it's one of those movies I heard about as a kid and never saw. Not neccessarily a major classic, but it has a certain place in film history. Second, it was directed by Mike Nichols who also directed Closer, which you already know, if you read that review, I quite enjoyed. Plus, the subject matter of the two films is very similar. Same subject, same director, sounds like a good idea to me.

The movie starts off with two buddies at a college mixer. Jack Nicholson and Art Picasso Garfunkel. I was shocked to see Chevy Chase come out and say all of Jack's lines...oh wait, I'm getting mixed up here. What actually happens is they spot a pretty little Candice Bergen. So, Arty G goes up and starts some conversation with the shy little wallflower which leads to a relationship. Since this is Arty's first relationship, good ol' buddy Jack gives him advice on how to seduce the girl. You definately feel for Arty as he struggles with the pressures and awkwardness of sexuality. Jack's advice doesnt help, nor does the fact that he ends up sleeping the girl. So, instantly you dislike Jack for being a serious a-hole and you pull for the wimpy Arty.

But then the movie changes and I begin to get confused. We no longer follow Arty at all. Instead we follow the story of Jack in a post college world. Now maybe its the whole point, but we are suddenly following the guy who is not a good human being. He likes to think he knows how to treat women and how relationships work, but he's absolutely clueless about these things and what he really wants and its hard for me to follow a character like this. It is interesting that Jack continues to give guidance to Arty through adulthood, and yet he hasn't learned anything himself.

Ultimately, I find it hard to understand why people want to have anything to do with him. I don't understand why Ann Margaret would want to date him, much less marry him. I don't understand why she would stay with him while he treats her like an object. I find myself wondering if Jack is gonna sleep with Rita Moreno in a possible wife swap scene, but then I find that I dont care if they do cause Jack doesnt deserve any other woman, and she's a bitch anyways. Even after Jack and Ann are divorced and he is depressed and lonely, I feel no sympathy for him.

Don't get me wrong. I fully understand the impact and importance of this movie. It touches on subjects and situations that were rarely discussed in public at the time. And to have such name stars jumping right into these situations is a very bold action. I guess I just don't understand the point of the film other than to bring these types of conversations out into the open. I will admit that of all the films I have watched so far, this is one that warrants another look at some time. I think that there may be more to it than I picked up on. Of course, I could be wrong and it may just be a relatively pointless piece of crap that is no longer relevant.