The Masculine Mystique (1984)

• 58%
• 1984
• Documentary
• Drama
• Char Davies
• Stefan Wodoslawsky
• Macklusky

In a series of round table counseling sessions, four men talk about the current state of their love lives, which are affected by the changing times concerning male/female sexual dynamics. Never married Blue loves the thought of being in a relationship. He is trying to balance his needs and wants with that of his latest girlfriend, self-assured Amurie who generally isn't afraid to state her mind. Blue's friend Alex is married to Shelley, the two who have two young children. Alex claims to love Shelley and the kids, but is always on stay-at-home mom Shelley's case about the state of their household and the way she handles the kids, while he feels the right to all his extra-curricular activities, eventually admitting to the other three men that that includes an extramarital affair, in wanting to have his cake and eat it too, leaving Shelley without any real practical support from him. Divorced Mort has three children who live with his ex-wife in another town. Mort wants a committed relationship with his current girlfriend Bet, who conversely doesn't, she in the process taking on the traditional male role in their relationship while he tries subversively to get what he wants. And divorced Ashley with two children laments what not being in a traditional nuclear family is doing to each member of the family, and not just the children.