One Flew East, One Flew West, One Flew...

Rating: 10/10 (25 January 2005)

The film begins with McMurphy entering the Oregon Mental Institution, and we learn straight from the beginning that our leading character is not settling for any of the rules. With controlling Nurse Ratched who is truly more scarier than any Freddie Kruger or Scream Mask and other patients from the wacky to the down right absurd. Yet however we can play fun at the strangeness of the characters, we can be reminded of how true to life this is, and the fact that it was actually set in a mental institution adds to the effect. Michael Douglas and Milos Forman have done an excellent job in making the novel by Ken Kesey come to life, and we must not underestimate the importance of Chief Bromden as a character as in the novel it is his perspective that guides us through the 'fog' Through out the film there is a daunting feeling the McMurphy's vibrant, laughing, card-playing and over zealous character is to be ill-fated. The end is well worth waiting for. I suggest that you should read the book first, and not after. Truly fantastic performances from all of the cast, and some notable characters such as Harding, Billy Bibbit and Marcini (I need to list them all really), this is definitely a classic and is very symbollic. As corny as it sounds, don't miss it!