A well-performed, symbol-filled exploration of the collision of many pretenses and disappointments. Suffers in my mind from overblown displays of cruelty.

91.000

Just watched this for the first time. I finally understand why Elizabeth Taylor is such an icon. Weird and discomfiting. The drunk blonde girl really kept me on edge the whole time.

Great acting! BUT: This belongs in the theatre, with all the other overwrought, pretentious, actor-slash-self-indulgent crap that those kind of hell holes produce. There's nothing cinematic about this kammerspiel in which 'intelligent' people scream at each other for 2 hours, only to reveal a plot-twist that is God awfully stupid. If I could ever splice Christian Bale into any movie, I'd want him in that house going "I'll kick your ass if you don't shut up for a second!". Fucking ass.

Entertaining and extremely well-acted but also incredibly shallow. My main problem with this film is the lack of subtle characterization. Sandy Dennis is awful, but really everyone here feels uni-dimensional. Most of the blame can fall on the script. The dialogue is certainly witty, but it lacks depth. Each line reveals the protagonists' psychology too eagerly and too completely.

Pretentious, oppressive direction, but--god!--are the Burtons good here!

A cinematic feast thanks to Nichols's astute debut as director; Taylor's towering portrayal as the foul-mouthed Martha (Academy Award); Burton's magnificent portrait of the tortured professor; Dennis's Oscar-winning performance as the nervous young wife.

Spellbinding in its minimalistic and intense setup and so very dense in its deconstruction of the characters.

Violence! Violence!

VIOLENCE! VIOLENCE!

Ugh, this was a chore to finish.