The subject is sex in relationships. "Your Friends & Neighbors" is a film that one either loves or hates. There is no middle ground. It is an actor's movie and one with strong performances. With the vast majority of movies, the viewer is searching for some form of on-screen identification so that one can feel some degree of comfort. This is one of the aspects of "Your Friends & Neighbors" that makes it so unsettling because there is none. There are no heroes or heroines. From the opening scene, the character portrayal and developments are brutal. As the audience, we see everything. There are no pets or children present to soften it. It is an entirely dialogue driven movie that succeeds or fails dependent upon the screen performances of the six principals.
The character delineations are sharp and crisp, whether one likes the character or not. It would give away too much of the film to describe each character. But each and every performance is first rate. Nastassja Kinski finally has a role in which she can show some of her acting skills. Even though her part lacks depth, there is an on-screen sparkle that is delightful to watch.
Because of its subject matter, this is a movie for mature audiences and more than deserves an R rating but not for the usual reasons of sexual depiction or extreme violence - initially it had an NC-17 rating. Most viewers in their 20's can simply not relate to what is happening on-screen. Forget it, if you are a teenager. To appreciate this movie, one must have experienced some part(s) of it on a very personal level.
The character delineations are sharp and crisp, whether one likes the character or not. It would give away too much of the film to describe each character. But each and every performance is first rate. Nastassja Kinski finally has a role in which she can show some of her acting skills. Even though her part lacks depth, there is an on-screen sparkle that is delightful to watch.
Because of its subject matter, this is a movie for mature audiences and more than deserves an R rating but not for the usual reasons of sexual depiction or extreme violence - initially it had an NC-17 rating. Most viewers in their 20's can simply not relate to what is happening on-screen. Forget it, if you are a teenager. To appreciate this movie, one must have experienced some part(s) of it on a very personal level.