It's a hard world. And "Chinatown" proves it.

Rating: 9/10 (2 July 2000)

--Author is aware of spelling mistakes--
This is an endless masterpiece. From the start to finish I was on my seat. The suspense is all over the movie from the first to the last minute. When Faye Dunaway appears as the real wife, you think that the plot has got it's last twists. Well, you better think again. Just like I had to.

The plot ringles as a snake, and it's a ride to hang on. From the beginning you are cousing upp in the sofa, enjoying Nicholson's very fine portrait. At the end you are so frightened, so moved by the moral. You feel so totaly helpless by the end. This is Polanski's without a doubt best movie, and his appearence as the man with the knife is a great pleasure to watch, in the same scene as you see Nicholson soaked as a rat. That's also a big pleasure to watch. Polanski's way to show the incredible heat that surrounds the city is marvelous. Acting is great, to say the least. Nicholson in one of his best roles, even if I'm not really sure wich one of the great ones ("The Shining", "One flew over the cucoo's nest", "Mars Attacks!", "As good as it gets") that's the best, it's a tough job to say. Faye Dunaway is not really the world's best actress, even if she's good. And I think this is the role of her life, Bonnie Parker gets close, but concidering that overrated BONNIE & CLYDE is about two times "less good" (is that an ok term?) than CHINATOWN it gets a bit complicated to say. The plot is nothing else than a 10-pointer and Jerry Goldsmith proves that he's been around quite a while.

It is simply a very good, excelent movie with Polanski's brilliance mixed with Nicholson's brilliance. A must-see! 9/10