Mikey and Nicky

Masculinity never got more toxic, and male vanity was never exposed in such purest and most heartbreaking form as in Elaine May’s penetrating comedy. This brilliantly tetchy tale puts a lifelong friendship under the gun, when a small-time mobster burning with despair after stealing the boss’ money seeks help from an old pal for his escape. Cassavetes and Falk bring to their roles their lived-in chemistry, with all its foibles and messy contradictions in their dynamic verbal and physical interplay, articulating brutal truths about the grubby desperation of male schemers controlled by greed and lust. A new kind of emotional realism comparable to Cassavetes’, this unbridled portrait of intense, complicated human relationships is an unsung masterpiece of American cinema.

24/1(Sat):Film talk with Ernest Chan