In My Opinion, The Best Film Ever Made.

Rating: 10/10 (2 June 2011)

I can't really explain how good this film is in words. I mean, this film is more than just good, it's superior. Films like his rarely come along where all aspects about it is top notch. I personally see this as my favorite film of all time. But, what other people may ask is: what makes this film so good? Well, I believe the best quality about this film is the acting. Seeing as I am an actor, i am very keen to judge movies. But, once Jack Nicholson comes on as R. P. McMurphy, I knew I was in for a treat. What was so engrossing and special about his performance is the fact that he makes it so...him. It was naturally played as if Jack was really McMurphy. That is what is so great about Nicholson. he can bring himself into a role and play the character while being himself at the same time. probably the most rewarding scene that Nicholson gives in his tour de force performance is when the ward is voting for changing ward policy and watching the world series. 9 people on the ward vote while another 9 don't vote because their mental capacity isn't the same as those who did vote. but, Nurse Ratched sees fit for a majority and McMurphy goes ballistic to get another vote from the chronics. he eventually gets the deaf and dumb Indian Chief Bromden to raise his hand but evil Ratched closes the vote before Bromden votes. McMurphy then goes nuts on Ratched. The is moment is so rewarding to watch. This moment was so climatic, you could feel the chill of anxiety from the situation running down your spine. Nicholson is at his best with this role.
The surprise token for me in this film was Louise Flecther as Nurse Ratched. I had never heard of her before, but when I saw her play the role, I wondered why she wasn't as famous as other actresses are. i mean, Fletcher is astounding in her character. her villainy is so cold, she doesn't even have to have a menacing laugh or a mustache. She just has the aura of evilness. She treats the mental ward patients with disrespect by punishing them when they didn't really do anything and taking away the wards possessions in order for her to feel in charge. Perhaps the coldest scene she does is when she interrogates Billy Bibbitt after he has an escapade with a woman during a secret party held by McMurphy while Ratched was gone. She threatens to tell his mother and makes Billy so angry and depressed that he commits suicide. And she does all of this with a stern voice and a neutral expression on her face.
Milos Forman gives this film the quality it has with his "personal" direction. He likes to embody the character's emotions by closing in on them. His best scene is when he does a close up on McMurphy for a long time, capturing him falling asleep. There is no one talking, just McMurphy dozing off. He makes it breathe with reality.
I could go on and on describing on how good this film is. there is so much to say. i almost forgot to mention how good the screenwriters(Bo Goldman and Lawrence Hauben) adapted this from the book. They really showed respect for how well Ken Kesey did on this work. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has been on several top movie lists everywhere, has received numerous four star reviews and has been marked as a classic film. Watch the film, and you will find out that all these people are not cuckoo, but right.