User reviews

Minnie and Moskowitz is the most pathetic and ungraceful love story I've ever seen. Between Minnie, a disillusioned museum curator whose abusive married boyfriend dumps her and leaves her even more uptight and confused than she already was, and Seymour Moskowitz, a parking attendant so desperate for attention that he spends his nights going to bars and restaurants aggravating people, there is a chaotic and disenchanted match from the start. Just like so many pairings that we see every day.

In nearly every love story, there is a man and a woman, the man being confident, funny, either classically hot or attractive in his own way, whose shortcomings are charming, and the woman a wounded soul who could have any man she wants who chooses this guy because there's just something about him. These movies make everyone feel so good because the characters embody what every man and woman wants to be, not what they are. Minnie and Moskowitz, instead of indulging in any hint of fantasy in the realm of romance, depicts people who may just be more common than the attractive, confident people with so much experience playing the field. What's the story behind the love affairs of the ugly, alarmingly awkward man with no life and no job that we all run into, or the woman so crippled by insecurity that it's difficult to talk to her?

This film is not as fascinating as Cassavetes's Faces or Opening Night, but it has that riveting quality that Cassavetes always fought so hard to render, which is an unbridled depiction of people underneath the ego that hides behind itself in nearly all other films. Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel, delivering startlingly pitiable people, are hardly likable. Moskowitz nearly drives us mad, let alone Minnie. He imposes himself so forcefully in her life, the dates are an explosion of the inner voices of ours that respond to the screamingly inept uneasiness on dates we've all been on, rejections we've all swallowed, and arguments we've all had that we know were our own faults. I admire a film like Minnie and Moskowitz because, as the trademark is with the films Cassavetes helmed himself, it identifies with us in 100% honesty. Our egos play no part in company with his characters, thus a tremendous achievement per performance by actor.

At times, you forget that you are watching a movie and not the lives of two average (but unique) people and the incomplete lives that they live. Searching for love, if not just acceptance, both live in a world where relationships are as confusing as the people in the relationship. By the end of the movie you can't help but smile at the images Cassavetes captures in the last 30 seconds. Without any narrative, Cassavetes gives the conclusion to the two character's lives together. True happiness...

Minnie Moore (Gena Rowlands) doesn't believe in the movies. As a girl, she fantasized about finding a Prince Charming in the shape of Humphrey Bogart or Clark Gable, living in a fancy house, and having kids the neighborhood could wince in jealousy over. But now Minnie's in her late 30s, fully aware that the man of her dreams probably doesn't exist. She swears that she's gotten used to the fact that reality isn't so rose-colored and things can't always turn out the way you want them to; but once you're a romantic you're always a romantic, and deep down, Minnie still finds herself hopeful that someday her Bogie will arrive on her doorstep.

Seymour Moskowitz (Seymour Cassel) is a free-spirited valet with no great ambitions in life, contented drifting from town to town, from bar to bar, causing ruckuses and speaking his mind. Ponytailed and handlebar-mustached, he has no problem with the judgmental world or his rotten temper, which seems to escalate from zero to sixty through the slightest provocation: bar fights are a norm in his life. But despite the ever mounting flaws that seem to continuously tarnish his character, he's a good man, just a lost one.

By chance, these two misfits meet after Minnie endures a particularly awful date; the man who took her out, a demented widower, nearly assaults her in a parking lot after she flatly rejects him. As if he's magnet for action-packed situations, Seymour flies to the rescue, knocking the date out and speeding away with Minnie in his beat-up pick-up truck. For Seymour, it's love at first sight; but for Minnie, this long-haired, hairy-lipped time-bomb is a red flag, not a Gable. Seymour, however, isn't the kind of guy that gives up a good woman when he sees one. So he spends the rest of "Minnie and Moskowitz" trying to win her over — and with their identical lonely hearts, it might not be so difficult after all.

"Minnie and Moskowitz" is John Cassavetes' warmest film, a quirky romantic comedy frequently raucous (Seymour has a quite a mouth) but also endearing, hopeful, lovable. The characters finding love aren't of Doris Day/Rock Hudson perfection but of damaged confidence, both completely lost in this game called life. It's a rom-com so real it's hard to even call it a rom-com, with the story unforced, the eventual marriage hasty enough to make even us have inhibitions. Minnie and Seymour are not conventionally likable (she's untrustworthy to the irritating max, he's so hot-tempered it's a wonder anyone talks to him), but because they're so much better together, their union is one of rare affection that suggests they really do love each other, though not in the way Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard taught us. Cassavetes dedicated "Minnie and Moskowitz" to the people who married for love, not comfort, and it's a worthy sanctification.

His other films are extraordinarily realistic, mostly telling stories of middle-aged people facing a cruel case of mid-life crisis blues. Here, it's the opposite: the middle-aged people face a cruel case of mid-life crisis blues before they find romance; and after they find their special someone, they are renewed. They become whole again after years of trying to find themselves. With its mostly improvised dialogue and no-holds-barred performances, "Minnie and Moskowitz" should be uncomfortable. But being the voyeur to a trial of love is an easy job, and Cassavetes lets his optimism shine through. Rowlands and Cassel are terrific.

This is an incredible achievement for John Cassavetes. Not only has he made an outstanding screwball/romantic comedy, but he has also made a deep and biting attack on the way we let the movies(and also our culture) shape the way we see the world. For those of you who are seeking a love story, Cassavetes provides an extremely lovely one. The rules of the screwball genre are strictly followed. A man meets a woman, they are an impossible match in terms of personality, they try to fall in love, then comes the inevitable 'hiccups' in their relationship, and last but not least, the happy ending. But, as has always been the case with Cassavetes, that is only a very small fraction of what you'll get. He obviously has got a lot more to say. The 'surface' story is not the only story here. Beneath it lies another 'story'. And I don't think the other story will ever get past you unnoticed. The real story here is a 'cultural' one. It is a biting attack on the way we let movies and our culture influence our way of seeing the world. How does he present this attack? Well let me give you an example. The other day I watched this film with a friend. He made quite a few comments but the most striking one was when he complained about how is it that someone as unattractive as Seymour Moskowitz could get a woman as pretty as Minnie to like him(when you see the film you'll see). Now that is exactly the kind of attitude that Cassavetes is attacking. Why must everyone be 'handsome' or 'good looking' to be able to get a girl to like him? Minnie will constantly say to Seymour in the film that, "That's not the right face. You're not the man I'm in love with." It's a subtle attack but no less powerful. There's even one instance where Minnie, while in conversation with her friend, talks about movies as being a conspiracy because "They set you up. And no matter how bright you are you still believe it." This is a shining example of the fact that it is not enough to just recognise the problem, because it doesn't mean anything until you do something about it. There's a lot more, but I don't think it will be fun if I talked about everything. Part of the thrill of watching a movie like this is figuring it out. So I'll just talk about the 'surface' story a little bit more. A lot of people has called this movie 'earnestly real'. But don't be put off by that because like this world we live in, it's not all grim and grin. This isn't a Ken Loach film. While Cassavetes definitely does show us how ugly the world really is and can be, he has got enough insight to also show us that life can also be wonderful. I can give you a lot more examples, but I think it's best if you discover them for yourself. My comment here does not do justice to the movie. There's too much for me to say. And I don't think the space here allows it. So just go and see the movie. It'll be worth every minute.

This light-heated (for Cassavetes)love story is pleasantly conveyed by two wonderful performances by Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassell. Rowlands was never more beautiful as a repressed, damaged mid-30's woman who meets her match in Seymour. Cassell is a powderkeg of energy and romantic notions (on his terms).

There is a great supporting performance by Val Avery as Zelmo Swift and an unusual (as always) Timothy Carey that's worth the price of admission. Made between Husbands and A Woman Under the Influence this is Cass' most accessible film that should touch the heart of anyone (especially the Cassavetes haters) who claim his films are too long and ponderously heavy at times. Made my Top Ten that year and not seen by enough people. An 8 out of 10.

A museum curator (Gena Rowlands) falls in love with a crazy parking attendant (Seymour Cassel).

Although not one of the title characters, the most memorable actor in this film is Val Avery. He gives an incredible monologue where he goes from sad sack to abusive and everywhere in between. We never like him, but we might feel sorry for him one minute and despise him the next. Quite the performance.

Roger Ebert gave the film four stars and singled out Seymour's "magnificent mustache" for appreciation. Indeed, that mustache is pretty amazing and one hopes it was not just the makeup department that provided that impressive tuft.

I feel as though I know these people and have known people similar to them. These days, though, people are discouraged from showing such passion about anything especially love and loneliness. It has a slow beginning, but then look out! If you love romantic comedies, but would like to see one that had some basis in reality for a change {or at least did have back in the 70's}, then you should see this movie!

Not known for his ability for comedy, pioneer of American Independent Cinema, John Cassavetes, is on romantic comedy grounds here, taking the traditional movie love-story and turning it very much on its head. Eccentric parking-lot attendant Seymour Moskowitz (Seymour Cassel) re- locates to California, working the same job and living in a small rented room. Museum curator Minnie Moore (Gena Rowlands) is an emotionally damaged yet extremely attractive 40-something woman who is in an abusive relationship with her secretive partner Jim (Cassavetes himself). A chance encounter puts Minnie and Moskowitz together, and two fume at each other for the duration. Only Seymour falls in love with Minnie, who he feels looks down on people, and Minnie becomes reluctantly curious about this strange man.

While following the long tradition of the romantic comedy, anyone expecting a squeaky-clean Rock Hudson/Doris Day Technicolor screwball comedy will be sorely disappointed. Cassavetes sticks to his game using extreme close-ups, a hand-held camera, and semi-improvised performances to tell a story that feels real, but maintains the warmness and the satisfaction that the best of the genre have provided in the past. The film is very much about how movies mid-lead you, and as Minnie states 'they set you up for disappointment'. Minnie and her friend watch Casablanca (1942), and discuss how there are no Humphrey Bogart's or Clark Cable's out there, because they don't exist. Who does exist, however, is Seymour Moskowitz.

Cassel is absolutely exceptional in the role, playing his long- moustached, pony-tailed character as quirky and warm, as well as aggressive and often plain insane. He seems to win Minnie over by yelling at her, explaining how it isn't fair how a less-attractive and relatively poor man can't be with Minnie simply because she's richer and physically desirable, but Minnie finds his frankness fresh. With show- stealing cameos by Val Avery and Timothy Carey, as two strange men who the two leads meet over the course of the film, Minnie and Moskowitz is a strange and interesting look at love through the eyes of two sometimes unlikeable, yet utterly compelling people.

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One of John Cassavetes' greatest films is also one of his least known. He made it in 1971 and over the years it has been largely forgotten. I've seen it described as a romantic comedy and even as a screwball comedy but I found it very disturbing. It's not a comedy and I'm not even sure it's a love story. It's characters are all dysfunctional, unhappy people and Minnie and Moskowitz are the most dysfunctional of all.

She works in a museum and he works as a car-parking attendant and the film charts their hit and miss relationships, with each other and with other people. It is also largely improvised which gives it the feeling of life being lived in front of our eyes rather than simply being played out but these are people you definitely wouldn't want to know or maybe they aren't people at all but just extentions of Cassavetes' off-the-wall imagination.

It is magnificently acted by Cassavetes' repertory company of friends and family though at times it feels more like a series of classes at the Actor's Studio. Gena Rowlands is Minnie and Seymour Cassell is Moskowitz and they are superb as you would expect as indeed are everyone else, particularly Val Avery and Timothy Carey as men having meltdowns in restaurants and an uncredited Cassavetes as an unfaithful husband, while the cinematography of the three credited cinematographers, (Alric Edens, Michael Margulies and Arthur J. Ornitz), gives the film the documentary-like look the director obviously intended. This is independent cinema at its purest and most unrefined; scary, moving, rarely romantic. Just don't call it a comedy.

There are some scathing reviews here for this Cassavetes comedy, mainly stemming from the slapping around of Gena Rowands' Minnie by the love of her life, John Cassavetes, and the behavior of Seymour Cassel's Moskowitz. Audiences not familiar with Cassavetes' style will likely turn this one off, and who could blame them. In addition to being rather misogynistic and dated, the characters are not the most likeable bunch.

That is exactly Cassavetes' point. As was the case with his previous film Husbands, the movie takes a "warts and all" approach to its male characters and female characters are basically targets. Moskowitz is a holdover hippie from the '60s (maybe a continuation of the character Cassel played in Faces) who makes a living out of parking other people's fancy cars, first in Manhattan and then in LA. With that kind of job, it's rather hard to believe that he can afford a First Class plane ticket to LA. But his mother, played by Cassavetes' own mother Katherine, is the typical doting Jewish mother in the film, who probably finances his life.

Moskowitz rescues museum curator Minnie after a date at a diner with a loathsome individual (another one of Cassavetes' regulars, Val Avery). What transpires after that is Moskowitz basically stalking Minnie, even after he throws her out of his truck. Eventually they fall in love and get married. The End.

This movie has yet to be picked up by the Criterion Collection and it's easy to see why. It is not one of JC's better works, although a curio for those who want to delve into the writer/director/star's style before he made arguably his most famous film, A Woman Under the Influence.

real love. true love. mad love. beautiful love. ugly love. dirty love. sad love. happy love. silly love. smart love. gorgeous love. dumb love. love love love. minnie moore understands that what she really needs is a man who trust her, trust her and love her madly. of course when this man comes along... she tries to run away but seymour, wonderful seymour, he trusts her, he believes in her so he is going to fight for her against her. i want to be like seymour moskowitz. i want to be that kind of man. a man willing to love without been afraid to fail but willing to fail. that's a kind of hero. that's my kind of hero... and minnie moore is my kind of woman. long live cassavetes and all his lovely bunch!

Step the third in my journey through Cassavetes..

Here, he takes one of the most popular movie formats, the romance. Boy- meets-girl in LA, under the lights. But she is no cool femme fatale, she is fragile, unsure of herself. He is no Bogie himself; as the film starts he is watching The Maltese Falcon in a theater, a scene where Mary Astor throws herself crying on Bogie's feet. Trying to pick up women afterwards, he's chased out of bars, looked at as a weirdo and beaten up in an alley.

The idea is that we are not going to see movie people, but real people on the street. That was the ambition anyway, a situation aggravated by Cassavetes' actorly Studio background—as in Husbands, we have constant shouting matches, awkward intrusions, obnoxious pulling and nervousness. He seems to think the room inhabited by these characters won't feel real and lived, unless we have damage on the walls, a Greek sensibility, after all the main story recasts Zorba.

So unlike a Bogart film, the actors here don't coolly glide off each other, they cut themselves on each other's edges.

The same situation develops here as I described in my comment on Husbands. The edges, the damage are unusually pronounced, by this I mean a situation like when Moskowitz almost runs her over with his truck to get her to go with him takes me out of it. A softer next moment will pull me in again, until the next hysteric one and so on.

Which brings me to my main discussion about presence.

Moskowitz is the kind of character who can be likable once you get to know him, the sort of bond you form with coworkers that greatly depends on shared time. Minnie is warm when we first see her, but there's a haughty, nervous ghost in her. It is, let's say, a truer to life perception than the immediately charming Bogarts and Stanwycks of old. It requires work to take them in, giving space.

That narrative room, that space where characters wreck themselves and things works the same way once you excise the shouty moments, simply wonderful. None of the individual visual moments are cool or typically beautiful. The locales are drab and mundane. The light and textures all natural, the whole is imperfect but breathes. In this, he equals Pasolini, another master of the living eye.

So on a moment-by- moment basis, the space is like the characters, intensely present flow to undefined horizon. In a movie like the Maltese Falcon, the narrative horizon is immediately defined (get the bird), and again defined in every scene (get out of there, rough someone up, etc.) so we are at all times comfortably tethered, enjoying the play. What Cassavetes does matters in the long run in the sculpting of the overall effect, it doesn't leap to attention.

Like Husbands, this slowly starts to work for me once I have a narrative shift that faintly, very faintly defines a certain horizon in the story—here marriage. Cassavetes is work, because this happens so late in the movie, the bulk of it is like staring at a blank page waiting for inspiration, or waiting for musicians to tune their instruments. Here, that shift happens about 9/10ths in the film, and then we're through that and a new horizon opens, the closing shots of family life and then it's over.

So it starts to work late but extends for me to long after it's over, it's one of the most haunting effects I know, transcendentally marvelous; more on that in the next comment on Woman.

Seymour Moskowitz (Seymour Cassel) is an unstable parking attendant in New York City. He moves out to L. A. to live beside the freeway. Minnie Moore (Gena Rowlands) suffers from an abusive relationship with married Jim (John Cassavetes). She has a bad blind date with a crazy loudmouth and Seymour comes to her defense.

This is a John Cassavetes film and every guy is a crazy jerk. This is listed as a comedy and I did not laugh once. They say that ladies like the bad boys. That would be a step up from Minnie. She just likes them crazy and abusive. I would enjoy this more if she can give it as much as she has to take it. This is an interesting one.

Life is crazy. You're crazy, I'm crazy, we're all crazy. We're all a little bit Minnie, and a little bit Moskowitz. Sometimes it does seem best to be sensible...but then what might you be missing out on?

You gotta be you. You don't have to park cars and semi-randomly yell at people, but you can't hide yourself behind a veil (or dark sunglasses) and pretend and act like everything is okay. And sometimes, you really do have to throw caution to the wind, because why else are you alive?

I'm not going to 'rate' this love compared to Cassavetes' other movies, because they are all absolutely 100% unique works and each their own individual act of expression and exploration of our lives. In that sense they are all great, and comparisons are odious. For sure, this movie has that one crazy, sometimes maddening, but ultimately wonderful and freeing quality that all his movies have- you never know what's going to happen next, and you never know what the characters are going to think, do, or feel next. Neither do the characters themselves- and do we really want to live our lives any other way? Unlike Moskowitz, you can have a great job and judiciously sock away money into your IRA, but still live the life of an adventurer inside- in your feelings, your spirit, and your very experience of life. Yeah, we can have it both ways, that's what Cassavetes shows us. Thank God somebody did.

Possibly John Cassavetes best film to date, and definitely his funniest. Seymour Cassel plays the young Moskowitz smitten with real-life wife of Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, excellent as usual. A must see gem of a film, if you can locate it.

I would recommend this for anyone who is an admirer of the late John Cassavetes. And for those who have never known of Cassavetes. It is an excellent film. I really don't have the time to go into the details of why this is my opinion, but if you're looking for something gutsy, with lots of scenes to mull over, then this one is for you. The cinematography is perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the film, as well as the story itself. This "review" does not do the film justice. It is an experience one must view for themselves. LOTS OF CHARACTER. VERY GENUINE.

Sometimes, I watch a John Cassavetes movie and wonder how anyone could enjoy it, and Minnie and Moskowitz is one of those times.

I've struggled with other films of his in the past, but I found this one to be the most unwatchable. I guess the premise, more or less, is that there's one woman who's unlucky in love, and she goes on one particularly bad date where one man rescues her from the guy she went on the date with, who was about to hurt her. Then it turns out the man who rescued her is also insane, and he yells a lot and is also kind of abusive, but apparently he also loves her.

The whole movie is loose, rambly, and seems to be almost entirely improvised. Sometimes, this approach works. Sometimes, Cassavetes kind of makes it work, too. I hated that approach here, though. Maybe it was just the mood I was in, but the constant yelling and outbursts and randomness drove me crazy here. It's just a bad trip in every way, but it doesn't really feel like it's using that unpleasantness to make a point.

To compare it to the filmmaker's other stuff, A Woman Under the Influence is a tough and sometimes tedious watch, but at least it felt a little more purposeful; I'd say Killing of a Chinese Bookie feels the same. Other Cassavetes movies are difficult watches, but I can sometimes appreciate them for being personal and kind of just not for me, like Love Streams.

But Minnie and Moskowitz... I just don't know. This felt unwatchable at times. I really, really didn't like it, and I have to entertain the idea that maybe that's the point? That doubt will be the only thing keeping me from rating this lower, but I'd say stay away from it unless you want a viewing experience that'll give you a nervous breakdown.

Zelmo says "people that listen continuously are much more interesting than people that talk continuously" He doesn't get the girl. Seymour says "I think about you so much I forget to go to the bathroom." He gets the girl. "When I'm with someone I want to get away." This is the girl speaking. Her name is Minnie . She also says "I don't like men. They smile too much. You see a lot of teeth." This is no ordinary love story. Correction this is an extraordinary love story where Minnie ultimately becomes a Moskowitz which is difficult to say with a straight face. But the ultimate romance is between John Cassavetes and the English language. Forget the popcorn, to eternally enjoy Minnie &Moskowitz, have a notepad and some shorthand and "if you have bread, we can make toast."

I was smiling during the last few minutes of "Minnie and Moskowitz". I was so happy for the both of them. The films of John Cassavetes are in a class by themselves. Even after many viewings I still don't know what I'm getting myself into. I can never remember where they end up. This may be the angriest love story story ever made. There's a whole bunch of yelling and fighting before we get to the love. When we finally do get there, it's very satisfying. I would love to know how "Minnie and Moskowitz" are doing now. I'm sure they did great...and drove their neighbors crazy.

10 of 10 stars.

Absolute Masterpiece by one of the best and most influential Directors in history, John Cassavetes. Cassavetes filmed this with a raw feel as he did with most of his Films. I think it is one of his 5 best Films, absolutely brilliantly performed and captured.

Cassavetes died so young that he only Directed a dozen Films during his career, but most Film Historians say that 9 of them were Masterpieces. If you've never seen a Film Directed by John Cassavetes, please watch one and you will see why he was so influential. He filmed them 'raw', they feel real. The only Masterpiece of the 9 listed below that is filmed 'normal' and less raw is 'A Child Is Waiting', and it shows he could Direct a Masterpiece in a normal and traditional style if needed. It's a good Film, but not a 'Masterpiece' imo, so I'd watch any of the other 9 if you've never seen his Films to give you a better idea of why he is so unique, and what he 'usually' did. Most Film Historians would probably put his 9 Masterpieces in this order:

1. A Woman Under The Influence (1974) 2. Love Streams (1984) 3. Shadows (1958) 4. Opening Night (1977) 5. Faces (1968) 6. Gloria (1980) 7. A Child Is Waiting (1963) 8. Minnie And Moskowitz (1971) 9. The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie (1976)

I would put his 9 Masterpieces in this order:

1. Faces (1968) 2. A Woman Under The Influence (1974) 3. Opening Night (1977) 4. Love Streams (1984) 5. Minnie And Moskowitz (1971) 6. The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie (1976) 7. Gloria (1980) 8. Shadows (1958) 9. Husbands (1970)

Minnie And Moskowitz stars Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel, alongside Val Avery.

Rowlands is on the short list of the best actresses in history, period, and it is performances like this that cause some Drama majors to watch her in a Film like this and change their Major back to finance. Her performance is free, natural, completely believable; a masterful performance. And it is almost perfectly matched by Seymour Cassel. He somehow keeps up with her every emotion, which shouldn't surprise anyone as he was such an amazing performer himself. Cassel seems to dance on high-wire without a net during the entire film, but never makes me think he even has a chance of losing his balance, incredible.

Val Avery is in a few scenes and is absolutely fantastic, almost perfect.

In a smaller but important part, Cassavetes includes a scene with Cassel and Timothy Carey. Carey is brilliant, absolutely A+ performance that helps set up Cassel's characters depth & personality, perfect in-set by Cassavetes. Cassavetes even has a small part in a couple of scenes, knocks it out of the park, he was almost as good of a performer as he was a Director.

Everyone in smaller parts, including the 2 Mom's (1 of which is played by Cassavetes real life Mom) is great in their roles.

This Film is a must see. Absolutely great performances captured brilliantly. This Film is a truly great piece of Filmed Cinema.

When I first saw this movie in the late 1970s I was bowled over by how emotionally raw and vulnerable the characters of Minnie Moore & Seymour Moskowitz were. Actress Gina Rowlands was very believable in her characterization and some of the dialogue in this I thought was quite memorable.

Now upon seeing it again some 30 years later (& being older myself), I see again Minnie's raw emotions and understand that she WANTS to feel (at one point she says she admires people who can really feel or something to that effect). Seymour is actually much more emotionally volatile than what I remember.

This film is a character study is what I guess it is referred to. I saw it initially as a love story and believe it still is. It has much of the look and style and attitude of the time it was made (1971), and Seymour's long hair and somewhat "hippie" look would've made him possibly suspect in the eyes of middle America at that time. While Seymour's volatility exhibits his own emotional rawness, he has something of a heart of gold and he is who he is. I think this movie still holds up and it has a level of emotional excitement that makes it appealing.