Elaine May - Mikey and Nicky (1976), 7/10

Mikey and Nicky is a refreshing take on the gangster film, a hyper-realistic onscreen representation of friendship in spite of its extreme narrative drama. Nicky is looking down the barrel of assassination, dreading the hitman on his tail throughout the film, while Mikey, his childhood friend, is supposed to save him from his impending doom. Their journey is not as straightforward as it should be, or even what we may expect it to be, making the film a genuinely surprising narrative experience, at least in majority. The chemistry between Cassavetes and Falk is unsurprisingly convincing, a product of their already long-standing partnership. Elaine May's directorial work is just as great as the script, exhibiting a narrative arc that says just as much about the end of youth as it does about senseless violence. The opening scene of the film is a masterclass in immersive introduction, and the final scene an equally masterful end to a very turbulent story. The characters themselves are shockingly detestable at times, yet their story is beyond worth telling, it is essential.

Mikey's reactions to Nicky's behavior are some of the most interesting moments of the film, despite its many narrative shocks and one-liners. There is palpable sadness, anger, jealousy, anxiety, paranoia, and grief amongst their very brief interactions of joy, leaving a true sense of depression behind at the film's end. This is perhaps Cassevetes' finest performance, and among Falk's best, only supplanted by A Woman Under the Influence. They are superbly believable despite the extreme nature of the story at hand, accenting a narrative that unfolds beautifully in details, rather than spelling itself out straightforwardly in any sense. There are individual moments that feel out of place, such as the diner scene, perhaps kept for their acting intensity, and while there is not a cinematic weakness per se, it does make the visual story feel unpolished at times. Still, Mikey and Nicky is among the finest friendship stories in film, backed by a great premise, two true friends, and an intimate feeling that serves as a through-line in an exceptionally depressing story.