TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Ariella Broughton It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Bumpy Chip It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Leofwine_draca SEPARATE WAYS feels like a TV movie version of the kind of film that KRAMER VS KRAMER was - i.e., a slow-moving drama about a marriage in trouble. The plot involves Karen Black, who plays an unhappy housewife who begins an affair with a much younger man. Problems arise as it transpires that her husband is also having an affair, and sparks fly when the truth is uncovered.This was put out by the notorious Crown International Pictures, so you might be forgiven for expecting this to be full of sleaze and depravity, but it's no such thing. In fact, even the sex and nudity is kept to a bare minimum. It's more of a dialogue-heavy drama, although sadly for me the material isn't really something that grips my attention. While it's nice to see Black in a straight role for a change, she was much more interesting in genre fare like TRILOGY OF TERROR, although a bunch of old-time actors like William Windom and even Sybil Danning do show their faces.

Wizard-8 One of the strangest chapters in the history of Crown International Pictures was when they picked up the independently produced SEPARATE WAYS, a movie that had actually been completed in 1979 and sat in limbo for a while as the producers looked for a distributor. It was a strange choice for C.I.P. because while the movie is rated "R" and involves infidelity, it's not a sleazefest. It is actually a sober look at both partners in a troubled marriage. The movie is well acted by Karen Black and Tony Lo Bianco, and you can sense the filmmakers were really trying to make a compelling drama, but it doesn't quite work. It feels kind of dry, kind of like what a made-for-TV movie of the era would play out if it had "R" rated elements. It's not a terrible movie, just kind of flat. A word of warning if you plan to rent or buy the movie - while the movie has been given an official DVD release, the DVD company just copied an ex-rental video cassette instead of finding the movie's negative and making a copy directly from it.

dbborroughs Karen Black and Tony LoBianco star as a couple having marital difficulties. Will they be able to pull it together for their son? I came across this film as a part of a DVD collection of thrillers. Why it was included is beyond me since its not really a thriller rather its a domestic drama. That said its not a bad one. On some level I kept thinking that perhaps it was little more than a bumped up TV movie with some nudity and some foul language, however as time went on it kind of won me over and I actually wanted to see how it came.Far from the best film out there it is rather enjoyable on its own terms and is the sort of thing you won't mind watching if you are stuck watching it.

Woodyanders Vain, neglectful former race car driver turned automobile dealership owner Ken Colby (a fine portrayal by Tony Lo Bianco) and his sweet, but fed-up wife Valentine (a marvelously warm and appealing performance by Karen Black) are having marital problems. Not only does Ken have his hands full with his faltering business, but he's also having an affair with fetching co-worker Sheila (lovely Katherine Justice). When Valentine discovers Ken's infidelity, she has a fling of her own with nice, decent college student Jerry Lansing (the always affable David Naughton). This tasteful and thoughtful feature represents a radical departure for director Howard Avedis, who usually made such enjoyably trashy exploitation fare as "The Teacher," "Texas Detour," and "They're Playing With Fire." Avedis eschews his standard gleeful wallowing in the sleaze to offer instead an observant and compelling portrait of the difficulty found in sustaining a romantic relationship throughout the years and the severe toll a lack of open communication can have on said relationship. The uniformly excellent cast play their well-drawn and engaging true-to-life characters with commendable conviction: Lo Bianco and Black do stellar work in the lead roles (Black in particular is a total delight and looks absolutely gorgeous), with sturdy support from Arlene Golonka as Valentine's loyal, supportive best gal pal Annie Donahue, Sharon Farrell as Valentine's perky friend Karen Haskell, William Windom as Ken's excitable business partner Huey Block, Noah Hathaway as the Colby's darling son Jason, and Jack Carter as jolly bar owner Barney Brodsky. Both Dean Cundey's slick cinematography and the jazzy, tuneful score by John Cacavas and Bonnie Becker are up to speed. A poignant little dramatic sleeper.