Mikey and Nicky

In stark contrast to her earlier films A New Leaf and The Heartbreak Kid, Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky is noticeably of a more tense nature. From the get-go it displays a more paranoid nature, thanks primarily to our first impression of Nicky (John Cassavetes). That said, there are some telling clues that this is a May film through and through.

How so? Much like A New Leaf, Mikey and Nicky maintains a very dark sense of humor. (It's mostly telling with Ned Beatty's character.) Though she's dabbling in a new genre, May wants to make it clear that this is her handiwork.

Two years after making A Woman Under the Influence, Cassavetes and Peter Falk reunite for Mikey and Nicky in roles somewhat similar to those in the earlier film. Falk's Mikey is the one responsible for keeping Cassavetes' Nicky of sound mind (easier said than done). It's a Cassavetes film not even directed by Cassavetes.

As proven by other titles of 1976, Mikey and Nicky also utilizes its setting as a character in of itself. Similar to Taxi Driver and Rocky, May depicts New York City as its own person. But in comparison to what Martin Scorsese and John G. Avildsen did with their respective films, May depicts the city as deceptive as some of the characters.

Mikey and Nicky is perhaps May's best film by a long shot. Yes, A New Leaf and The Heartbreak Kid are good too but there's something more to this one. Hopefully before she shuffles off this mortal coil, May will make another film of this nature.

My Rating: ****1/2

A New Leaf

Comedy is a fickle genre for one to tackle. It requires good timing, a clever sense of humor, and a certain level of ingenuity. And only a select few can get that right balance.

Elaine May is one of the lucky ones. Her directorial debut A New Leaf proves that she's a master when it comes to comedy. (The opening scene gives the viewer of what to expect.) Then again, if you're familiar with her comedic act with Mike Nichols, that should be no surprise.

In comparison to May's follow-up The Heartbreak Kid, A New Leaf is decidedly much darker in nature. (Anything where murder becomes a major theme is bound to fall in that category.) Yet even with its occasionally morbid sense of humor, it still manages to be consistently funny.

And the work from Walter Matthau and May make A New Leaf work completely. Matthau in the previous decade proved his comedic abilities from films like The Fortune Cookie (which earned him an Oscar) and The Odd Couple. And May, as mentioned above, had her act with Nichols, so of course she and Matthau would make a great team. (George Rose and James Coco easily steal the show whenever they're in a scene.)

A New Leaf must have been practically a refuge for audiences back in 1971. The events of the previous decade were far from forgotten and no one knew what to expect in the years to come. And again, people need a temporary escape from everyday life.

My Rating: *****

The Heartbreak Kid

Fiction (comedy in particular) frequently depicts men as strictly one thing: utterly obsessed with the perfect woman. Of course various male creators have explored this countless times with little to no explanation in the end. Though women have also depicted men and their insatiable desires.

Elaine May's The Heartbreak Kid opens with the wedding of Lenny (Charles Grodin) and Lila (Jeannie Berlin, May's daughter), a seemingly happy affair. But en route to their honeymoon in Florida, he realizes that she has a number of annoying traits. And upon arriving in Miami, he starts chasing Kelly (Cybill Shepard).

Granted, it's a satire but there's something borderline infuriating seeing a character not know the very distinct difference between romance and infatuation. (And yes, there is one.) Maybe that's why the male-driven works on this subject tend to take on a creepy air...

Come to think of it, that's exactly why those works in particular tend to fail. We're part of a society that frequently depicts women as nothing more than objects to men. This is why every now and again we need this story told from a female perspective to show how sexist it is.

But back to the review. The Heartbreak Kid has its moments here and there but overall, it serves as more of a cautionary tale for those young and unknowing. If a married person is making passes at you, don't encourage them by responding to said passes. Ignore them until they get the message.

My Rating: ****