Clube dos Homens

Well, at least it's different. This was apparently one of those "art house" type of films, as I cannot imagine anyone thinking it would be a commercial success. I didn't find it terribly bad, but certainly not very good, either. Direction, acting, photography were all OK. The script was what it was, and I can't think of any way to do it differently. One note for the ladies: there do exist a lot of guys who are faithful to their wives. Who want to be, and are. These might not be the best-looking ones, though. You make your choices, and you take your chances. Interesting, the conception of what goes on in high-dollar whorehouses. Having never been to one (in any price range) I've always wondered.

This might be worth watching if you've nothing better to do (or watch)

This movie is a bizarre mess. Long before Frank Langella wanders into camera range in women's make-up with a cigar, the blathering causes you to lose interest. Bewildering. Mind-numbing. Avoid this movie like the plague unless you are planning a triple feature with Showgirls and Battlefield Earth.

It's not that the ideas in this movie are so dumb, it's just that they are so unambiguously presented. You actually notice the drama getting more subtle and complex when the brothel madam starts talking through a doll. It's too bad, because Roy Scheider really tries to make something of his part. He must have been holding his breath between takes because he has the expression of a man performing a field autopsy. Paul Schrader should re-write this lurid chewathon for Jimmy Smits. There's an actor who can spin gold out of lint.

A group of men in Berkley form a men's club. Former baseball star Cavanaugh (Roy Scheider) is a hound dog cheating on his wife Sarah. He brings his family-man friend Berkley professor Phillip (David Dukes) into the group. Kramer (Richard Jordan) is a psychotherapist. Solly Berliner (Harvey Keitel) is a real estate broker cheating on his wife. Harold Canterbury (Frank Langella) is a senior partner in his law firm and his wife left him after finding herself. Paul (Craig Wasson) is a manager at an auto parts company. Terry (Treat Williams) is a single doctor. Kramer's wife Nancy (Stockard Channing) comes home to find the group trashing the place. She kicks the men out and they decide to go to a high class gentlemen's club. The club is run by Jo with her puppet. She introduces Harold to Teensy (Jennifer Jason Leigh).

The first half of the movie is a touchy feely inner-self of the Neanderthal man. Many of the men are various shades of the cave man. Then they go to the brothel and things get even weirder. It's insane and not in a good way. Unless you're itching to see Langella in crazy makeup.

This movie usually gets ripped to shreds by a lot of people. Given the offensive nature of some of the material, it's understandable. But truthfully, I enjoyed watching this movie because I really enjoyed watching this intriguing cast work together.

I first rented this movie because I couldn't believe what a cool cast was involved: Roy Scheider, Harvey Keitel, Frank Langella, Richard Jordan, and Treat Williams to name a few. Stockard Channing and Jennifer Jason Leigh also have supporting roles here, but it's basically the guys' show.

The movie is broken down like this: It introduces the characters, it shows the group of actors talking about their personal lives in a therapy type sitting at one of the character's house. And it all culminates at "The House of Affections" (you can figure out what that is).

What can I say, despite the fact that these characters often talk and act like jerks, I still enjoyed watching the cast work and even found a lot of it funny.

Having seen it several times, I can say it could've been edited much more tightly to convey its somewhat diluded message. But still, I enjoyed it and I think it's worth a rent for that cast alone. Just don't throw tomatoes at me if you happen to be offended. Call it a "guilty pleasure".