Product: The Two Jakes [VHS] (1990)
Rating: 4.0
Attention must be paid
Dismissed by critics and audiences upon its initial release in 1990, the Two Jakes has more or less faded into obscurity while the film that inspired it remains a big part of the American cultural fabric. Perhaps the fault is not entirely Nicholson's--the themes of movies like the Godfather and Chinatown lent themselves a lot better to the more introspective and brooding methods of the 70's.Mind you, the Two Jakes is also brooding and introspective, but it is also sloppy and inept in the key places. Where Chinatown had a clear and focused narrative throughout, The Two Jakes drags its feet for a dangerously long time and far too many of the scenes are either redundant or awkward. Chinatown moved at a deceptively leisurely pace, following Gittes around the city. Nicholson tries to emulate this in his role as director, but the chief impression is not of revelation(as it was in the previous film) but of a private investigator running errands. This is due in part to the films notorious production history, but is exacerbated by the unfinished script coupled with Nicholson's lack of experience in the most important seat of filming.In spite of many of these failings, The Two Jakes manages to be a surprisingly enjoyable film even if it doesn't convey the sense of despair of its predecessor. There are fine performances from Keitel and Nicholson and the cinematography is perhaps the most beautiful I've ever seen, giving Los Angles of the 1940's a crisp and optimistic look which befits the prevailing attitude of the time. While Nicholson fails to give the film the tremendous narrative force of Chinatown, he does manage to offer further insights into both his character and his character's past and effectively ties the film up in a surprisingly restrained ending.