So the next film review is the 1986 guy flick called The Men's Club
I saw the cast full of middle aged men who mostly had supporting roles throughout their careers (Aside from Roy Schneider…who was in Jaws).
Roy Schneider of Jaws
Frank Langella of about 200 movies, I'm sure you've seen him in one
Treat Williams of many B movies like the Substitute sequels
Harvey Keitel as badass in every movie he plays
And Craig Wesson is just as awkward as he was in the lead to Brian De Palma’s Body Double.
So here's the plot:
A group of men get together to form a "discussion group". They share their feelings about women, life, love, and work. The party gets rowdier and rowdier, and then the wife returns home. Thrown out, the men are not yet willing to call it a night.
So I'll say this about The Men's Club, that synopsis felt like I might compare it to an all men's cast of The Big Chill and I will say I was hooked, until about halfway through. The halfway point is where the guys go to a San Francisco brothel.
Going forward is where characters show their true colors and it's rough.
Without going through anymore details the section of the guys reminiscing about relationships was the best part. Treat Williams has a funny story on there.
The strangest part was, surprisingly, before they go to the brothel, the guys are in the house discussing women and the host of the house grabs some throwing knife.
I don't remember why he had them but it goes into a montage of the guys throwing knives at his kitchen door…and walls…and knick-knacks.
His wife shows up and it turns into the funniest scene of the movie.
Review from SnoopyStyle:
“The first half of the movie is a touchy-feely inner-self of the Neanderthal man. Many of the men are various shades of the cave man. Then they go to the brothel and things get even weirder. It's insane and not in a good way. Unless you're itching to see Langella in crazy makeup.”
He's not wrong, Frank Langella in crazy make up is worth the price of admission, so I'll give you that one for free.
Review from butchery blog post:
“How do you get these guys together and have it derail so badly? It's been said that no one sets out to make a bad movie, but sometimes they just turn out that way. I believe everyone approached THE MEN'S CLUB with noble intentions, but it just got away. From everyone. Maybe Williams and Wasson stayed in the background by choice. ….I swear you can see Williams trying to get out of some shots.”
Avoid this film at all costs.