College students Jonathan and Sandy are roommates. Sandy begins dating Susan, and loses his virginity with her. Secretly, Jonathan starts wooing Susan, and loses his virginity with her, too. However, she decides to stay with Sandy... A decade later, Sandy and Susan are married, while Jonathan refuses to get married, and only lives to have sex with attractive women. He finds his ideal woman, buxom Bobbie, and decides to try out living with her, uneasy about dumping such a beauty. However, after quitting her job, Bobbie spends entire days just sleeping in bed, while Jonathan works. She accuses him to cheating on her and demands they get married, but Jonathan refuses. Bobbie tries to commit suicide, but is saved by Sandy... A decade later, Sandy divorced Susan and is now with Jennifer. Jonathan, divorced from Bobbie, presents his short film about his ex girlfriends. The two men go out on the street.
Mike Nichols most aimless film, "Carnal Knowledge" is a collection of vignettes used as a justification to explore two male perspectives of sexuality: the idealistic marriage type aiming for love (Sandy) and the disillusioned bachelor aiming for casual sex (Jonathan). The movie can be described as a dignified failure, or as a weaker masterwork in the rich opus of the creative director. It has several good dialogues, solid performances, mostly led by Jack Nicholson and Ann-Margret playing a dysfunctional couple, but the episodic storyline never really knows where it is going or how to lead the viewers, which is why the ending feels incomplete and arbitrary. At the time of its premiere, it was somewhat controversial, yet today it feels just honest about relationships, simply depicting these types of people. The opening credits are funny, since the two protagonists are heard off screen contemplating about what would they prefer in a relationship ("You mean would I rather be the one who loves, or is loved?" - "Yeah." - "It's not that easy a question. But, I think I'd rather be in love."), and the writing displays sharpness and wit again when Sandy tries to starts a conversation with a girl he likes, Susan, which turns deliciously philosophical ("You mean, they're kidding themselves, because it's not really an act." - "Yes, it is an act, but they're the act. The act is them." - "But if it's them, then how can it be an act?" - "Because they're an act." - "But they're also real"). However, the writing falters in the second act, presenting a relationship crisis between Jonathan and Bobbie, yet the reason for their argument feels fake, as if they are arguing just for the sake of arguing, and thus their emotional turmoil is underserved and undeserved. Nicholson was a legend in the 70s, but this proves that not every one of his movies is a classic.
Grade:++
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