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Desperate Characters

Play trailer Poster for Desperate Characters R 1971 1h 31m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Sophie Brentwood (Shirley MacLaine) is depressed, and not without good reason. Her group of friends is disintegrating, her Brooklyn. N.Y., neighborhood is in sharp decline and her marriage to an emotionally closed-off lawyer named Otto (Kenneth Mars) is falling apart. Sophie tries to reach out to old acquaintances and her husband's ex-partner (Chris Gampel), but these efforts ultimately leave her feeling even more lonely. She desperately hopes a weekend getaway with Otto will put things right.
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Desperate Characters

Critics Reviews

View All (3) Critics Reviews
Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times The movie's characters are decent people, but morally exhausted. They have no way or desire to keep going; yet they hang on raggedly to a city existence that's taken any sense of balance or sanity. Rated: 3/4 Nov 2, 2018 Full Review Dohoro Los Angeles Free Press The film is a little masterpiece of mood and message. Jan 9, 2020 Full Review Tony Mastroianni Cleveland Press Miss MacLaine, cast against type, offers an intelligent, quiet performance, indicating moods with a look, a glance or the way she walks. Nov 15, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member A mediocre and dated film that has benefited over time for capturing Brooklyn and NYC at a very grim moment in its era. A time capsule movie. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A good cast, but a predictable and boring story, it's very similar to other movies that came out around the same time. It's not that bad, though, it's just not good either. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A decent but morally exhausted married couple deals with the inevitable onslaught of disillusionment and paranoia in middle-aged urban life. If you find the film exhausting, take that as a sign that it's point is being made. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Really good movie from the early 70's. Sophie & Otto are a conventional couple living in Brooklyn and their cozy traditional world is slowly threatened by the shadow of the new upcoming decade; drugs, violence, homeless people & peep shows are right at their door... Shirley MacLaine is very good as the disturbed housewife persuaded she had been infected with rabies. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/desperate_characters/dvd.php?select=1"][img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/coverv/41/121441.jpg[/img][/url] They don't make flicks like this one anymore, or rarely. Great dialogue and great acting. I highly recommend. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Desperate Characters

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Desperate Characters

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Movie Info

Synopsis Sophie Brentwood (Shirley MacLaine) is depressed, and not without good reason. Her group of friends is disintegrating, her Brooklyn. N.Y., neighborhood is in sharp decline and her marriage to an emotionally closed-off lawyer named Otto (Kenneth Mars) is falling apart. Sophie tries to reach out to old acquaintances and her husband's ex-partner (Chris Gampel), but these efforts ultimately leave her feeling even more lonely. She desperately hopes a weekend getaway with Otto will put things right.
Director
Frank D. Gilroy
Producer
Frank D. Gilroy
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 5, 2014
Runtime
1h 31m
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