The concurrent sexual lives of best friends Jonathan and Sandy are presented, those lives which are affected by the sexual mores of the time and their own temperament, especially in relation to the respective women who end up in their lives.
Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations.
Top Critics Reviews
fresh:
In addition to being the toughest comedy since Little Murders, and the most imaginative comedy since Catch 22, Carnal Knowledge represents a nearly ideal collaboration of directorial and writing talents.
– Bosley Crowther,
New York Times,
20 May 2003
fresh:
Stays within the universe of its characters, and inhabits it totally. And within that universe, men and woman fail to find sexual and personal happiness because they can't break through their patterns of treating each other as objects.
– Roger Ebert,
Chicago Sun-Times,
23 Oct 2004
rotten:
This was never quite the major assault on sexism and male chauvinism it set itself up to be.
– Tom Milne,
Time Out,
9 Feb 2006
rotten:
The picture has its moments of chilling insight, though essentially it is one more quaint early-70s stab at an American art cinema that never materialized.
– Dave Kehr,
Chicago Reader,
8 Feb 2008
fresh:
A rather superficial and limited probe of American male sexual hypocrisies.