A Milos Forman character study masterpiece and societal expose

Rating: 8/10 (26 April 2013)

The celebrated book is transformed on screen as Jack Nicholson introduced the common man to R. P. MacMurphy, the wildly excitable convict sent to a psychiatric ward for evaluation. We experience a mental institution through his experience as well as the thin veil of mental illness itself. Witness the horror of institutionalization emasculated by Nurse Ratchet, calmly justified through Louise Fletcher. Mac shares his gusto of live as best that he can, but you always have the gut feeling that it's a losing cause. Many a film in this time period were not meant to appease but to enlighten. Cuckoo's Nest remains a tough watch, but like many of that genre of film, well worth the time and empathy.