Mikey and Nicky (1976)

Director: Elaine May

Starring: Peter Falk, John Cassavetes, Ned Beatty, William Hickey, Joyce Van Patten, M. Emmet Walsh

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Honor - and betrayal - among thugs.

Plot: Nick is desperate, holed up in a cheap hotel, suffering from an ulcer and convinced that a local mobster wants him killed. He calls Mikey, his friend since childhood, but when Mikey arrives, Nick won't let him in: his moods swing. So begins a long night as Mike tries to take care of Nick, calm him down and get him out of town. Their sojourn - on foot and in a city bus - takes them to a bar, a club, toward a movie theater, to the cemetery where Nick's mom is buried, and to Nick's girlfriend's apartment. Tempers fray and the friendship is tested. Meanwhile, a hit man who's getting information from someone is indeed looking for Nick.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Are you kidding? It's Peter Falk acting his ass off!

If you've never seen Peter Falk do some serious dramatic acting then you need to see this and A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE (1974). His work with his longtime pal, John Cassavettes, is spectacular. These two are the film. There are a few smaller roles in the mix but it's these two guys you see the entire time. They run through the whole gamut of emotions, from their childhood up until...well, you just have to see for yourself. The honesty in their performances comes through and it's easy to see that these two were close friends in real life. I'm kind of speechless. It's a great character study.