Brilliant

Rating: 9/10 (10 September 2009)

This is an old one but it is still one of Jack Nicholson's best. It is the story of a convict who thinks he might be able to take it easy and get off of work details if he gets himself committed to a psychiatric facility. That part of his scheme works but he does not count on how structured life can be in a psych ward. Throughout the film, Nicholson tries to get the system to bend to his will and his wishes. In doing so, he has a few small victories but usually winds up having problems associated with those victories. Some of those problems can be tragic. One of the most fascinating aspects to this film is watching how Nicholson's character shapes and changes the characters of the other inmates. Again, sometimes this is for the better and sometimes it is for the worse. At the end, when we see how the admittedly unlikable character of Nicholson winds up, we also see a small victory that seems to make much of what went before worthwhile. This film features strong performances by all involved and is first rate.