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Your Friends & Neighbors (1998)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:55
Fresh:42
Rotten:13
Average Rating:7/10
Consensus: This dark comedy is hilarious and provocative.
Synopsis: Neil LaBute's second film, YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS, is a dark comedy of manners that follows two unhappy couples and their single friends through a series of emotional and physical entanglements.... Neil LaBute's second film, YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS, is a dark comedy of manners that follows two unhappy couples and their single friends through a series of emotional and physical entanglements. Barry (Aaron Eckhart) and Mary (Amy Brenneman) are a married couple plagued by sexual frustration. Their friend Jerry (Ben Stiller), a theater professor, lives with his girlfriend, Terri (Catherine Keener), who's sick of his endless bedroom banter. Added to the fold are Cary (Jason Patric), a narcissistic, womanizing doctor, and Cheri (Nastassja Kinski), a free-spirited gallery assistant. While Jerry hopes to have an affair with Mary, Terri strikes up a relationship with Cheri, leading to a host of humorously painful conflicts. Cleverly framed by scenes in which each character examines the same painting in Cheri's gallery, the film presents an unflinchingly harsh look at relationships. More than anything else, it pinpoints--with hilarious effect--the human inability to communicate. Perfectly cast and expertly acted, YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS furthers LaBute's reputation as a challengingly original filmmaker. [More]
Starring: Ben Stiller, Amy Brenneman, Jason Patric, Catherine Keener
Starring: Ben Stiller, Amy Brenneman, Jason Patric, Catherine Keener, Nastassja Kinski, Aaron Eckhart
Director: Neil LaBute
Director: Neil LaBute
Reviews for Your Friends & Neighbors
Friends is written as if with etching acids, and shot, cut and framed with precision and grace.
LaBute is one of our most fearless moviemakers and pop-culture commentators.
LaBute's characters are just cold, pretty figures striking art film poses while spouting corrosive but predictably theatrical dialogues.
Friends is written as if with etching acids, and shot, cut and framed with precision and grace.
The tension between the fantasy of satisfaction and the reality of desolation poses an enthralling dramatic situation.
The perfect antidote for anyone considering cheating on his or her partner.
The mood is often more coarse, crude, and nasty than needed to make [LaBute's] cautionary points and also by that 'distancing effect,' which diminishes whatever feelings of empathy or sympathy the story might otherwise inspire in its audience.
LaBute is taking a decisive step forward, moving from an attention-getting debut to a witty and observant exploration of sexual mores, acted by a well-chosen ensemble.
Your Friends and Neighbors is often bleak and occasionally nightmarish, but also extremely funny!
Latest News for Your Friends & Neighbors
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 50% 50% | It's Complicated | 07/1 |
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