One of the best movies ever made. A true masterpiece.

Rating: 10/10 (1 April 2005)

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" has won the Grand Slam of in the Academy Awards of 1975 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay) against stiff opposition and this is not for nothing. This movie, directed by Milos Forman, is a true masterpiece of human emotion and its themes of individual liberty creativity are universal and far-stretching. Although this movie is about a mental hospital, its themes are applicable to everything in our daily lives. R.P. McMurphy, superbly portrayed by Jack Nicholson (definitely his best role) who "fights and *ucks too much" is classified as mentally instable and sent to a mental asylum, exactly in the ward of Ms Ratched. Ratched is a control-freak and very old-fashioned, but she truly believes that she is helping her patients to get better. She is not Evil with a capital "E" and this one of the themes of the movie: How human beings can do harm to others without even knowing, actually thinking they're doing the right thing. McMurphy, fond of his personal freedom and creativity instills a sense of liberty and rebellion into his fellow ward companions, whose character is entirely imprisoned by the Ratched's engulfing persona. He gives them a confidence boost in their own abilities and tells them (in most cases rightly so) that they're not "crazier than the average man in the street". We get to know that the patients are staying willingly at the hospital and if they want they can quit. McMurphy is shocked when learning this, and so is the audience viewing the film. We ask ourselves - "why are they staying here, caged?". McMurphy tries to make his new friends liberate themselves and pursue a new active life. He is willing to risk his own freedom in order to achieve this goal - and in the end, he pays hard for it, although his aim is achieved. At the end of the movie, we have mixed feelings and strong emotions - we can both cry and cheer.
The acting and direction are top-notch, and the music at the end gives the ending an edge you'll find hard to forget. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was based on a book of the same name, written by Ken Kesey. Find it and read it. And for God's sake, buy this movie, see it and cherish it for all your life.
10/10 - I just wish more movies like "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" were made.