The second best movie of 1975

Rating: 8/10 (22 May 2000)

Cuckoo's Nest is a great film, there is no doubt about that. But unfortunately this film swept everything that year at the Oscars and Jaws was left out in the cold. Now Jaws is the film that I consider to be the best film ever made and because of it I used to have a personal chip on my shoulder about Cuckoo's Nest. I could never understand why a film like this one was so much more heralded than Jaws. But now that I am little older I can appreciate the fact that the Academy is really quite political and there was no way that a 27 year old director was going to beat out Milos Forman for best picture and best director. But that aside, I have to admit that ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST is one fantastic film. I just had to get that out of the way first.
Jack gives, what I think, is his best performance ever in film. Here he a driven, tenacious and determined man. I can only think of two other characters in film that exhibit qualities like Randal McMurphy, and those are Rambo and Indy. But seeing as McMurphy is more real and more believable, that honour has to go to him. Cuckoo's Nest is an inspirational film and if there is one line that will always be remembered in this film, it is the line, " Well at least I tried, ***dammit!" That is the epitome of what the film and the character are all about. Sure there is the underlying theme of the common man against evil society but I like it better to think of it just as a film about one mans struggle to rise to the occassion and conquer some very stacked odds.
What is also great about the film is to see some actors early in their career. Brad Dourif, Danny Devito and Christopher Lloyd all have roles in the film and they have all gone on to have extensive careers in the Game.

There really isn't much more I can add to what Cuckoo's Nest is all about, I'm sure you have seen and read it all before. All I can say is that is an inspirational movie about not giving up and standing up for what you believe is right. And it is done extremely well. It is not as good as Jaws ( nothing is ) but that is not a fault of it's own. Milos Forman is no Steven Spielberg but that is another story and this film...... ah hell, why don't we just leave it at that. It's a great film and Jack is at his best. That's all you really need to know.
9 out of 10