Classic Film.

Rating: 10/10 (7 January 2008)

'Chinatown' is one of those rare film that is absolutely perfect. Sure there are plenty of films that have very few flaws, but they are not as complex as this movie, nor are their plots as brilliantly put together. Many people who dislike the film have called it boring and they do not like the ending. They forget the film is about a serious subject matter and shouldn't be handled like an action movie. Polanski, along with the rest of the cast, handle the story with maturity and precision, the way it should be. Polanski does not insult the viewers' intelligence. He forces us to use our imagination about past events and events that are currently happening. It may take several viewing to put all the pieces together, but with each viewing the film becomes more meaningful. Even though the film ends on an unhappy note, people must understand why the film ended that way. The ending is one of the reasons the film is so powerful and unforgettable. But that will be discussed a little later.
'Chinatown' is the story of a private eye detective J.J. "Jake" Gittes (Nicholson) who investigates the extramarital affair of a prominent engineer in Los Angeles. It is set in the 1930s, and the city is suffering a major drought. Even though the city is going through a drought, Gittes discovers that thousands of gallons of water is being dumped at night. He is dumbfounded, but he does not realize he is about to enter a conspiracy involving the elite of the city. This conspiracy stretches out to the farmers in the surrounding land. He is warned on several occasions throughout the film about what he is getting into, but he still enters the lion's mouth full speed ahead. Jack Nicholson gives one of the great performances of his career. Even though all the actors did a superb job, including Faye Dunaway, Nicholson still towers above anyone else. There is a reason he is considered one of the all time greats. So few actors can bring such range into their roles. He is funny as hell when he needs to be and serious and sensitive the story requires it.
The film is also carried by its brilliant screenplay. The screenplay has been hailed one of the best of all time, and I find that hard to argue. The dialog is so well written, it is an absolute joy watch time an again. Graphics can become dates, action sequences can become tame, but good dialog is timeless. Apparently, Robert Towne, the main screen writer, turned down 'The Great Gatsby' to instead write 'Chinatown'. He would have made a lot more money writing 'Gatsby', but inspiration won over dollars. He made the right decision because what he gave us was a screenplay for the ages. It is wickedly clever, intelligent, and cynical. Towne must have been at the pinnacle of his career.
Many people have voiced their displeasure at the ending of the film. They feel it is depressing. They feel the film should not have ended that way. They feel that people have overrated the film because of the ending. To me, the ending is absolutely brilliant. It should rank as one of the great endings in film history. In the ending, the ghosts of the past coming crashing like a tidal wave. Notice in the ending, it is only time Evelyn and Noah Cross are together in the movie. Notice that in the ending, things are so confusing, hardly anyone can figure out what is happening. Throughout the film, Jake talks about Chinatown, or how he doesn't like talking about it. Jake really does not realize what he is getting into. What he is getting into is destiny. All the money or motivation in the world cannot stop destiny from happening. And this destiny is not always happy. In fact, it can be downright brutal. At times in this life, there are forces beyond one's control. What a phenomenal achievement in film-making.