One of the best for both Polanski and Nicholson.

Rating: 10/10 (2 November 2012)

"Chinatown" is an absolutely intoxicating mystery set in 1930s Los Angeles where private detective Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is hired to keep an eye on a water and power executive and finds much more going on than he'd anticipated. Faye Dunaway is his femme fatale, aloof socialite Evelyn Mulwray, in screenwriter Robert Townes' delicious ode to the crime fiction of authors like Hammett and Chandler.
Many details add to the enjoyment of this intricately plotted story; what's so great about it is that we discover things along with Jake and aren't able to figure out where it's going next. The story also has a very grim quality to it, one that's actually cyclical in nature as it's suggested that actions that had previously resulted in tragedy are being repeated. Then again, people may not expect just how grim this gets in the end. Additionally, it features some revelations that are particularly twisted and which the viewer is not likely to forget. There's one character who will especially make ones' skin crawl.
Many riveting scenes and confrontations play out while everything gets lovingly and beautifully lit and photographed; period recreation is also strong. Director Roman Polanski guides all of it with a sure hand, getting superb performances out of his well chosen cast. A large amount of familiar faces appear - Perry Lopez, Dick Bakalyan, Joe Mantell, Bruce Glover, Diane Ladd, John Hillerman, James Hong, Beulah Quo, Roy Roberts, Noble Willingham, Rance Howard, Jesse Vint, Burt Young, and Lee de Broux, but standing out and delivering a very grandiose performance is the always welcome John Huston. Polanskis' cameo as the hood who slashes Jakes' nose is also a treat.
By the end, the separate threads are tied together and Jake realizes that all of his best efforts don't amount to that much; he's unable to prevent the worst from happening. Still, this film offers a compulsively watchable journey on the way to its destination, remaining believable and interesting all the way. Even as it gets very serious, it doesn't miss opportunities for humour, and it entertains solidly for two hours and 11 minutes, rating as one of the most potent examples of the "neo noir" genre.
10 out of 10.