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Faces is a 1968 cinematic masterpiece directed by John Cassavetes. The movie is a deep exploration of the complexity of human relationships and emotions, and it does so through a series of candid vignettes that revolve around the lives of various characters. The film is set in Los Angeles and opens with the story of a married couple, Richard and Maria Forst, whose midlife crisis had led them to separate, and their attempts to salvage their marriage. Richard, played by John Marley, is a wealthy middle-aged man who is struggling to find meaning in his life after having achieved financial success. Maria, his wife, played by Gena Rowlands, is a housewife who is grappling with the realization that her life has been completely defined by her role as a wife, mother and homemaker.

As the story unfolds, the audience is exposed to the flaws in each character's personality and their weaknesses that threaten to tear apart their relationships. The film also delves into the strain on their emotional balance which they suffer in the face of marital discord.

In another plot, we see the story of a newly separated couple, John and Jeannie, played by Fred Draper and Lynn Carlin, as they try to make sense of their newfound freedom. John and Jeannie are a lot younger than the Forsts, and they represent a more naive and optimistic perspective on love and relationships.

However, as they try to find happiness outside of their marriage, they soon realize the difficulties of navigating the dating world in modern society. The movie presents this exploration of love and relationships with stark realism and addresses the harsh realities of human connections rather than the typical Hollywood idealism.

The movie's cast is noteworthy for remarkable acting performances of its lead actors, who played their characters with a level of authenticity that was unprecedented at the time. Gena Rowlands delivered an outstanding performance as Maria Forst, perfectly portraying a struggling housewife desperate for some sense of purpose. John Marley was equally impressive in his portrayal of Richard as a man trying to come to terms with his declining power in society.

The film also showcased the brilliance of Cassavetes as an auteur filmmaker. The director's distinct style of filmmaking was apparent in the way he used long takes, natural lighting, and improvisation in his direction of the movie. Cassavetes was unafraid to push boundaries and explore difficult themes, offering a view of the human condition reflective of the 1960s.

The movie earned nominations for various awards, including Academy Awards, Golden Globe, and the Cannes Film Festival. The French release made an instant impact and was widely hailed as one of the most significant films of the 1960s.

In conclusion, Faces is a cinematic tour de force that explores the fragility and complexity of human relationships. The movie offers a sobering and realistic view of the human condition and presents human characters without the usual fluff that Hollywood is known to employ. The movie's enduring legacy can be seen in the fact that it remains a timeless masterpiece that is relevant even today.

Faces is a 1968 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 10 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4 and a MetaScore of 88.