A solid addition to film noir

Rating: 6/10 (20 November 2019)

Chinatown excellently employs color contrasts, masterful use of shadows, and intriguing reflection shots. The cinematography and the meticulously written detective story highlight this movie as unmistakably noir. It is missing a few noir elements such as unusual camera angles and intricately colorful dialogue, but it's still a smooth and refreshing addition.
One complaint is the relatively impassive characters. Nearly every character has something to hide, so they act as reserved as possible. It's understandable, but it does make the movie a little tedious when the audience is expected to care about the facts without caring for any of the people involved. Noir films usually have the main character toeing the line between likable and unlikable, while staying emotionally detached as possible, solely focused on unraveling the mystery. Nicholson (Jake Gittes) gives a smooth and flawless performance in this role. He deserves praise for this film, but the rest of the reserved cast leaves a bit to be desired.
*Potential spoilers below*
Another complaint lies in the conclusion, which doesn't feel adequately resolved. The only ones who can explain the situation are dismissed. The ending sequences makes it seem as if the detectives on the case have no interest in the truth and have a vested interest in letting crimes go unpunished. It's likely that the truth will come out in court, but the presentation of the conclusion leaves a sour taste for no apparent reason.