Please don't spend money on this.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Despite it's subject matter, Carnal Knowledge directed by Mike Nichols from a script by cartoonist Jules Feiffer is a dud without a single likable or really interesting character. Nicholson's grating, Bergen lame and simpering, Ann-Margret more tiresome than the role calls for and non-actor Art Garfunkal keeps his head above water more or less. In support, a worn looking Rita Moreno has a good bit as a prostitute, Carol Kane cast for her freakish appearance says nothing and Cynthia O'Neal is repellently smug. Nichols' film is a series of cartoon panels with no sense of any life surrounding the characters. Nichols appears to have been influenced by the films of Bergman and Antonioni though he lacks their brilliance. The result is a dim view of human relationships that is unpleasant and pointless.

Cult movie, picked up some rewards, considered to be one of the most controversial movies of all times, blah-blah... If you didn't see it already my advise is to skip it. But if you did, I would appreciate to hear your impressions, just to see if I'm stupid or this movie really is bullshit.5/10 and even that much only because of Ann-Margret.

This movie attracts quite a lot of admiration here which puzzles me. It is a kind of summation of the awfulness of the sixties sexual revolution - its sourness, acute misogyny, deep unhappiness and disconnect. The two male protagonists, well played by Nicholson and Garfunkel, though their roles are really nothing but stereotypes, are equally unsympathetic, self obsessed, selfish, duplicitous and vain, while the women are just there as sex objects. It's a deeply depressing movie. The film has dated badly, as one would expect, and with such a bleak message it's hard to see why anybody except an admirer of the lead actors would bother with it today.

Carnal Knowledge (1971) **** (out of 4)Excellent drama from Mike Nichols takes a look at the three decade friendship between two men (Jack Nicholson, Art Garfunkle) and their sex lives. The 1970s brought sex, language and nudity to the big screen and this here was one of the most controversial films of its time but it's also one of the greatest films that has ever dealt with sex and relationships. The movie is brutally raw in its anger, passion and conversations but this is what really makes it stand apart. The dialogue is perfect, the story structure is flawless and we're given some of the best performances that you're ever going to see. I really love the way Nichols structured the picture and especially in the beginning as we see the Garfunkle character fall for a girl (Candice Bergen) but never realizing that Nicholson has gone behind his back and started a relationship with her. The way this love triangle is shown is just flawless in its execution. The middle portion of the film deals with Nicholson's relationship with Bobbie (Ann-Margret) and this too is flawless but incredibly depressing. There's a masterful sequence with the two of them crying and fighting, which is as powerful as anything you're going to see from this era. The entire cast does a fabulous job fitting into their roles. There's no question about Nicholson's brilliance during this era and that includes this film where he plays such a jerk that you can't stand him. The real surprise here is Garfunkel and Ann-Margret, both of them giving the performances of their careers. Nichols' direction is among the best of his career and especially the way he milks the story so well to get every sort of emotion out of it. CARNAL KNOWLEDGE isn't a pretty film to watch due to how ugly the Nicholson character is but it's still one of the best acted films out there and the rawness is something missing from most movies today.