universal

Rating: 10/10 (18 November 2012)

This is the kind of movies with several levels.
The first one is a story of a guy trying to escape prison until he realizes that the mental institution is worst, despite the impression it gives. A striking example is given when the nurse offers to make the patients vote on the proposition of Mc Murphy to watch baseball series on TV. First, she offers this because she knows she'll win over Mc Murphy, as the patients are too scared, too docile to publicly disagree with her. Then, she offers a second chance without mentioning that she wants the majority among people who can't vote. Finally, she argues that time was over when Mc Murphy succeeded in convincing a tenth patient. She impersonates the institution: leading you to think that they care while their only concern is to maintain their domination, their power whatsoever.
Here appears the second level: a criticism of these mental institutions, answering with authority to people who simply lack the tools to behave like the majority of the population. The only violence the patients show is the one they infringe to themselves. Which leads the only two that see clearly to use it against others, but only for justice: McMurphy against the nurse who led Billy to commit suicide, and the "Chef" against McMurphy to save him from a life of physical and mental imprisonment.
A third level deals with love, respect and attitude toward others in general. The main difference between McMurphy and everybody else, patients or institution, is that he treats everyone as equals, and this is what makes him the hero. His humanism is the core quality that will make him play cards with the ones that don't even understand the game (but who will say some of the most intelligent thing when asking how will they win back their money and cigarettes if the nurse keeps them "for their own good"), speak to the deaf and dumb (who appears to actually fake it), and give an opportunity for love to the one who is supposed to not be able to stand for it. And when he fails, at least, as he says in the beginning, he tries. The humiliation of him not being able to lift the block in the bathroom becomes a message of hope addressed to all of them who knew it was impossible but did not realize that the defeat is in the way they think not the fact that they were right on this matter. This key moment is a first step toward the final happy ending for the Indian guy.
For all this reasons, this movie really moves me. The actors are exceptional, the grey and cold atmosphere that contrasts with the mood of the hero and with the scene of party and happiness near Christmas or with the one on the boat is perfect for the movie. I simply was not convinced by part of the end, maybe because it went too fast. I don't know. I did not like the opening credits and the poster ether, which may be details but other movies showed that these could be art and I like when filmmaker are perfectionist.
Overall, I rated the movie 10/10 not because it was perfect but for all the levels I saw in it. It, for sure, will make me think about it for long, and rise questions about life in general.
PS: sorry for my English, I hope it is still understandable ;)