The Pledge (2001) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A retiring police chief pledges to catch the killer of a young child. Director: a list of 47 titles created 13 Nov 2011 a list of 35 titles created 08 Nov 2014 a list of 34 titles created 07 May 2015 a list of 32 titles created 30 Jun 2015 a list of 25 titles created 1 month ago Search for " The Pledge " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 1 win & 6 nominations. See more awards » Videos Freddie Gale is a seedy jeweler who has sworn to kill the drunk driver who killed his little girl.

Director: Sean Penn A man upon retirement embarks on a journey to his estranged daughter's wedding only to discover more about himself and life than he ever expected. Director: Alexander Payne A man who has failed as a father and husband commits a heist to make money for his fledging business, but things become complicated when his wife interferes. Director: Bob Rafelson The sequel to Chinatown (1974) finds Jake Gittes investigating adultery and murder... and the money that comes from oil. Director: Jack Nicholson Publisher Will Randall becomes a werewolf and has to fight to keep his job. Director: Mike Nichols A Vietnam vet comes home to his small town and finds himself in conflict with rules that his brother has vowed to uphold. Director: Sean Penn A corrupted border agent decides to clean up his act when an impoverished woman's baby is put up for sale on the black market. Director: Tony Richardson Edit Storyline The night he retires as a Nevada sheriff, Jerry Black pledges to the mother of a murdered girl that he will find the killer. Jerry doesn't believe the police arrested the right man; he discovers this is the third incident in the area in the recent past with victims young, blond, pretty, and small for their age.

So he buys an old gas station in the mountains near the crimes in order to search for a tall man who drives a black station wagon, gives toy porcupines as gifts, and calls himself the wizard: clues from a drawing by the dead girl. Jerry's solitary life gives way to friendship with a woman and her small, blond daughter. Has Jerry neglected something that may prove fatal? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com> See All (130) » Taglines: Detective Jerry Black has made a promise he can't break, to catch a killer he can't find. See more » Genres: Rated R for strong violence and language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 19 January 2001 (USA) See more » Also Known As: $5,765,347 (USA) (19 January 2001) Gross: Did You Know? Trivia Jack Nicholson 's secretary in the movie, Jean, is played by director Sean Penn 's mother, actress Eileen Ryan . See more » Goofs When Jerry flips the light switches on when Lori comes to the station for the first time, the lights come on before he flips the switches.

See more » Quotes In memory of our Brothers In Arms Michael D. Haller and Jack Nitzsche See more » Connections (Englewood, New Jersey) – See all my reviews Faithful to the book in most regards, the film is excellent, and Nicholson's performance is beyond reproach. While the denouement may have had issues (not with the point or the meaning, but rather the delivery), the film is still outstanding. Nicholson's relationship with the girl (he is beautiful as an aged father) and his inexorable obsession with the murderer are perfect in the film. Sadly, Penn's pacing is inconsistent, as is the sense of "detective" that Duerenmatt was careful to give his novel: the film's heartbeat ranges from driving to rambling, and most thematically appropriate may have been a measured beat which is lacking here. Nonetheless, the film is gripping, and captures the point, spirit and feel of the novel perfectly. It may not pull off the trick of being both faithful and profitable, but the film is true, and the acting impeccable. 64 of 76 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes The Pledge (2001) Synopsis - Plot Summary - Fandango GO Synopsis Sean Penn directed this tense drama of loyalty, honor, and obsession, based on a novel by Friedrich Durrenmatt. Jerry Black (Jack Nicholson) is a veteran police detective who lives and works in a small Nevada town. On the day of his retirement, it falls to Jerry to handle an especially unpleasant assignment -- a seven-year-old girl has been brutally murdered, and Jerry has to check out the crime scene, and then tell the girl's parents the awful news. The girl's mother (Patricia Clarkson), understandably distraught, demands to know if the killer will be brought to justice, and Jerry promises her that he will personally see to it, "on my soul's salvation." A younger detective also on the case, Stan Krolak (Aaron Eckhart), thinks he's traced the crime to Toby Jay Wadeneh (Benicio Del Toro), a mentally retarded man who confesses to the murder shortly before killing himself.

Stan considers the case closed, but Jerry can't shake his belief that Toby Jay wasn't actually the murderer, and Jerry begins to investigate the case on his own time, over the objections of his former boss, Eric Pollack (Sam Shepard), who reminds Jerry that he's no longer an official member of the police force. Before long, Jerry's personal investigation has taken over his life, and he uncovers evidence that suggests the girl's murder was just one in a series of killings involving young girls and a mysterious man called "the Wizard." When Jerry becomes close to a young single mother, Lori (Robin Wright-Penn), he feels he has reason to believe the murderer may be targeting her eight-year-old daughter, and finds himself using her as a decoy in order to bring the killer to justice. The Pledge marked Jack Nicholson's second starring role in a film directed by Sean Penn following 1995's The Crossing Guard; The Pledge's stellar supporting cast includes Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren, Harry Dean Stanton, and Mickey Rourke .

~ Mark Deming, Rovi Provided by Rovi View All Critic Reviews (121) Audience Reviews for The Pledge Sean Penn directed this interesting story about the innate fear of ageing, wrapped inside of a murder mystery/hunt for a killer, with a tiny bit of "fuck you" to the culture that makes objects of women (whatever their age) on the side. Because it's Penn there's plenty of quality character actors here (it's a damned acting smorgasbord!), with actor showcase scenes (unnecessary for the story but allowing the actors to preen some) scattered about this not-much-more-than-a-CSI-episode-done-Hollywood-style of a film and therein is where the movie gets legs, gets up, and gets down. The story presented however is as mean-spirited a thing I've seen outside of torture porn. Even the payoff at the feature's close is denied. If you enjoy filmmaking designed to produce stomach upset, this is the work for you. Kevin M. Williams Super Reviewer The Pledge is an average thriller, one that doesn't have anything truly remarkable going for it.

The problem I had with the film was that it was a long, tedious affair that really took too much time for the story to unfold. I have nothing against films that do that, but they should at least have something going on to make it truly interesting. That's where The Pledge kinds of falls flat, and never realizes its potential of being a memorable thriller. Luckily, the performances are quite good, or else the film would have ultimately failed in being a watchable affair. I really wanted to enjoy the film, but to me, it tried to outdo its ideas by stretching its story, and in turn, the pacing suffered, and it didn't have a good flow to go with the somewhat effective story. The Pledge is a flawed film, that doesn't necessitate multiple viewings, but it's good and worth seeing, but it's not a memorable thriller either. Sean Penn's direction, is average at best, and he seems to try to hard at conveying a story that feels too ambitious, and he adds too much of a pretentious vibe to the film, which makes the overall on-screen result suffer, and it ends up being a bland, average film that divides viewers.

I really wanted to enjoy this one a bit more, but I felt that something was missing to truly make it standout. As it is, it's a good movie, but it's not great either. You'll watch the film, wanting a bit more out of the film, and you'll spend it figuring out that there's something missing to really make it a memorable, stunning thriller. Alex roy Super Reviewer This is Sean Penn's masterpiece. He has made other really good movies like The Indian Runner and Into The Wild, but this is easily his best. The cast is amazing with possibly the best two roles coming from Mickey Rourke and Benicio Del Toro who both have very little screen time. This is a very unique and chilling movie. Melvin White Super Reviewer Cast: Jack Nicholson, Dale Dickey, Benicio Del Toro, Aaron Eckhart, Helen Mirren, Tom Noonan, Robin Wright Penn, Vanessa Redgrave, Mickey Rourke, Sam Shepard, Lois Smith, Harry Dean Stanton, Costas Mandylor, Michael O'Keefe, Eileen Ryan, Patricia Clarkson Director: Sean Penn Summary: Homicide detective Jerry Black (Jack Nicholson) is on the eve of retirement when he gets a call that changes everything.

A young girl has been murdered, and Black takes the case, promising the distraught parents he'll see it through to the end. Robin Wright co-stars as Black's companion, a single, working-class mother who can't divine the obsessive streak that makes him tick. My Thoughts: "I thought it was a really good film. Jack Nicholson was exceptional as Jerry Black. This film has a great supporting cast from Helen Mirren to Patricia Clarkson. Great group of actor's in a slow mystery thriller. The story has disturbing images that were (the murder scene) hard to look at. The ending really surprised me. The middle of the film is a build up for this finale that you know is coming, but it's not the ending you thought you would get. Once again, Jack Nicholson, so good in this. Also Sean Penn directing, what a great job by him. Really like his directing." ♥˩ƳИИ ƜѲѲƉƧ♥ The Pledge Movie Review & Film Summary (2001) | Roger Ebert Tweet Sean Penn 's "The Pledge" begins when it seems his protagonist's career is ending.

Jack Nicholson plays Jerry Black, a Nevada police detective whose retirement party is interrupted by news of the brutal murder of a young girl. Across the noisy room he senses a shift in tone, and joins a conversation between his chief and the man who will be taking over his job. Then he goes along to the murder scene, perhaps out of habit or because he hasn't officially retired. The little girl in a red coat is a pitiful sight with her blood staining the snow. Advertisement Jerry is angered at the poor preservation of the crime scene, and at the general reluctance of the cops to notify the girl's parents. Hell with it. He'll do it himself. We see him slowly approach them across a floor covered with agitated turkey chicks. Penn holds his camera at a distance as Jerry breaks the news to the parents, whose anguish is apparent. Later, inside their house, he reassures them the killer will be found. The mother ( Patricia Clarkson ) holds up a crucifix made by her daughter, and asks for his solemn pledge. He gives it. He will not rest until then. The scene plays exactly like that. But later, thinking back to it, perhaps we sense a deeper level.

Jerry Black is twice-divorced, childless, a career cop who now allegedly looks forward to spending the rest of his life fishing. But he was drawn to the news of the murder, drawn to the crime scene, drawn to be the one who informs the parents, and now he vows to solve the crime. What happened to his fishing trip? This is a man who is holding onto his identity with a desperate grip. That determination is at the core of "The Pledge," which seems to follow the form of a police procedural and then plunges deeper into the mysteries of innocence, evil, and a man's need to validate himself. At some point we realize that retirement, for Jerry, is a form of defeat and death. When the girl's mother says, "There can't be such devils out there," look at his eyes as he tells her, "There are such devils." He has been working against them for his entire life, and now he must find this one to save himself. Advertisement He looks through the one-way glass at the interrogation of the prime suspect, a retarded American Indian named Toby (lank-haired Benecio Del Toro ).

The questions come from Krolak ( Aaron Eckhart ), who will take over Jerry's job. He coaxes and coos in Toby's ear, seducing a confession, and when he gets one he throws up his hands in victory like a football coach. Jerry is appalled: The Indian clearly has no idea what he is saying. And then, a few seconds later, Toby kills himself and the case seems closed. "The Pledge" may be Nicholson's finest performance. Here are none of the familiar signals of his more popular performances, none of the relish of characterization, none of the sardonic remove. We see a lonely man, aging, whose attempts to go through the motions of retirement fail. He stays on the case. After leaving the force he uses a map to triangulate three crime scenes where, over a period of years, young girls, all of them wearing red, have been killed. At a crossroads he finds a small country store and gas station with an apartment upstairs. He walks in and makes the owner ( Harry Dean Stanton ), an offer too good to refuse. If the three crimes were committed by the same man, that man must pass here.

From a friend of the murdered girl, he obtained a drawing of a man she has met, a "giant," who gave her "porcupines" and drove a big black car. He grows intense every time a black car pulls in. At a local tavern, he becomes friendly with Lori, the barmaid ( Robin Wright Penn), and when she turns up battered one day, he takes her in. She and her young daughter can live with him. No strings attached. Advertisement We are afraid to draw an obvious conclusion. Is Jerry going to use the little girl as bait? Is one child to be put at risk in his determination to avenge another one? Sean Penn never underlines this. Indeed, his film is so intimately involved with the daily details of life that there's a good stretch when we aren't really focusing in those terms. We fall into the rhythms of life in rural Nevada, outside Reno. We fall into the routine of the new household that has been formed. Jerry, who never had a child, reveals himself as a good father, reading bedtime stories, keeping a cautious eye on the girl. He never informs Lori of the murder case, but uses his background as a cop to explain his deep concern for the girl's safety.

Sean Penn shows himself in this film as a sure-handed director with great empathy for performance. He peoples his cast with great actors ( Helen Mirren , Vanessa Redgrave , Tom Noonan , Michael O'Keefe , Mickey Rourke , Lois Smith , Sam Shepard , Del Toro, Stanton, Clarkson, Eckhart). That he and Nicholson were able to attract such names for small roles speaks for itself. But Penn uses them for what he knows about them, not for their face value, and the presence of actors with real weight brings importance to roles that are "supporting" but not minor. Robin Wright, then Penn's wife, is pitch-perfect as a weary working woman who seeks safety and affection for herself and her child. Penn and his cinematographer, Chris Menges , fill the frame with so many local details that the film doesn't seem to be insisting on an agenda. It emerges from the situation. A scene set at a local crafts fair, for example, involves people we know, others we don't know, and then a shot that reminds us of Hitchcock: A single pink balloon, floating free above the crowd.

A later scene, of a police stake-out in the woods, is staged and acted with cold precision, although we can hardly believe what we're seeing. Advertisement Penn relentlessly draws the focus closer to the Jerry Black character. The edges of the frame tighten on him. The film hasn't been about murder but about need. Everything he has seen and everything he has done has been driven by his need, to prove himself still a good detective. Still a man. "The Pledge" was Penn's third film as a director. " The Indian Runner " (1991) starred David Morse and Viggo Mortensen as brothers -- one a deputy sheriff, the other a troubled hothead. " The Crossing Guard " (1995), starred Nicholson as a man whose daughter has been killed by a drunken driver. He confronts his ex-wife ( Anjelica Huston ) and her new husband vows that now the driver (David Morse) is out of prison, he will find him and kill him. He shouts at Mary's new husband: "Man to man -- when she picks up the paper and reads that he is dead -- look at her face and see if you don't see pride and relief. Pride.

And relief." Freddy's motivation is not revenge, but the need to impress his former wife. These three films are not really about the events in the plot. They are about the need of a central character to persevere in the face of failure and even madness to complete a task he has set himself. Advertisement Now consider Penn's fourth film, " Into the Wild " (2007), the American Film Institute's film of the year. Emile Hirsch gave a powerful performance that evoked our growing dread. He played a 20-year-old who rebelled against his parents and his life, and started driving west and north until he disappeared into the Alaskan wilderness. He was not seeking death. He wanted to prove he could live off the land, and survive. This film, too, showed Penn embedding his protagonist in a cast of stars in small roles: Vince Vaughn , Catherine Keener , Hal Holbrook , Marcia Gay Harden , William Hurt , Jena Malone , Kristen Stewart . These are never "cameos," but require the actors to do their very best work in a short time. All of these films show a man determined to prove something, at whatever cost. He is not proving it to others.

He is proving it to himself. Penn wrote the screenplays for all but "The Pledge"; for "Into the Wild," he began with a true-life book by Jon Krakauer . What does the theme mean for Penn? I would not venture to say. He is not only as good as any living actor, he has also steadily been growing as a great director of actors. One of the reasons "The Pledge" is so important is that he asked his friend Jack Nicholson to follow him into the wild, and they proved something. Advertisement The Pledge (2001) - Sean Penn | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie The Pledge (2001) Directed by Sean Penn Genres - Mystery | Sub-Genres - Psychological Drama , Police Detective Film , Psychological Thriller | Release Date - Jan 19, 2001 (USA) | Run Time - 124 min. | Countries - USA | MPAA Rating - R AllMovie Rating twitter Synopsis by Mark Deming Sean Penn directed this tense drama of loyalty, honor, and obsession, based on a novel by Friedrich Durrenmatt.

Jerry Black (Jack Nicholson) is a veteran police detective who lives and works in a small Nevada town. On the day of his retirement, it falls to Jerry to handle an especially unpleasant assignment -- a seven-year-old girl has been brutally murdered, and Jerry has to check out the crime scene, and then tell the girl's parents the awful news. The girl's mother (Patricia Clarkson), understandably distraught, demands to know if the killer will be brought to justice, and Jerry promises her that he will personally see to it, "on my soul's salvation." A younger detective also on the case, Stan Krolak (Aaron Eckhart), thinks he's traced the crime to Toby Jay Wadeneh (Benicio Del Toro), a mentally retarded man who confesses to the murder shortly before killing himself. Stan considers the case closed, but Jerry can't shake his belief that Toby Jay wasn't actually the murderer, and Jerry begins to investigate the case on his own time, over the objections of his former boss, Eric Pollack (Sam Shepard), who reminds Jerry that he's no longer an official member of the police force.

Before long, Jerry's personal investigation has taken over his life, and he uncovers evidence that suggests the girl's murder was just one in a series of killings involving young girls and a mysterious man called "the Wizard." When Jerry becomes close to a young single mother, Lori (Robin Wright-Penn), he feels he has reason to believe the murderer may be targeting her eight-year-old daughter, and finds himself using her as a decoy in order to bring the killer to justice. The Pledge marked Jack Nicholson's second starring role in a film directed by Sean Penn following 1995's The Crossing Guard; The Pledge's stellar supporting cast includes Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren, Harry Dean Stanton, and Mickey Rourke . Characteristics The Pledge Rankings & Opinions 24 lists The Pledge The Pledge is a 2001 American mystery film directed by Sean Penn. The film features an ensemble cast, starring Jack Nicholson, Aaron Eckhart, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Vanessa Redgrave, Sam Shepard, Mickey Rourke, and Benicio del Toro. It is based on Friedrich Dürrenmatt's 1958 novella The Pledge: Requiem for the Detective Novel.

Dürrenmatt wrote The Pledge to refine the theme he originally developed in the screenplay for the 1958 German film It Hap... BBC News | REVIEWS | The Pledge: Your views Friday, 12 October, 2001, 14:49 GMT 15:49 UK The Pledge: Your views The Pledge is the third film that Penn has directed The Pledge, directed by Sean Penn, is a thriller starring Jack Nicholson as a cop who is just about to retire before he becomes embroiled in one last investigation - a gruesome child murder case. It won praise at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, although it was a flop at the US box office. "It is far more accomplished than Penn's previous pictures, and is further bolstered by Jack Nicholson's terrific, tortured central performance," wrote the BBC's Caroline Westbrook. So what did you think? Is this just another whodunnit film or an original complex thriller? What do you think of the high profile cast? Is Sean Penn better on the other side of the camera? An excellent movie. Among the best I have seen recently.

Arthur Nogueira, Canada Good plot, good movie, but I walked away disappointed. Poor ending. George Whitney, USA I thought it was a great flick. Full of twists that kept the viewer guessing until the end. Sheryl Giarritta, USA This is the most depressing movie that I have seen in a long while. I see little point in creating a story about how fate disrupts a man's quest for redemption. The acting is reasonably well done. To save money while being similarly entertained, simply hit your thumb with a hammer. These kind of accidents happen all the time, but while call it art and charge folks to watch? PS, USA In North America this movie has been available for some time. I found Nicholson's performance riveting and endearing. The story however, left a lot to be desired. The ending is without a moral compass. Typical of Hollywood to resort to anti-male bias to give this kind of ending. By the way, my female partner found it wanting in this respect, too.

Michael J Sullivan, Canada This is a fantastic piece of work, the characters, plot and script are intriguing, full-bodied and edgy Sharon, South Africa It is fantastic if you appreciate fine acting and can handle a far from cookie-cutter ending. It will never do well with the general public because, quite frankly, it is too intelligent. It is a wonderful comment on the lack of resolution that surrounds so much of the world we live in. Penn does a great job with Jack's character and Jack, as expected, is amazing. James, USA (English) Good movie. Tries too hard with kitschy camera techniques though - why the slow motion on a petrol pump? Please. I also found the mental decline of Jack Nicholson's character quite unbelievable. Perhaps it is the way it is portrayed but it just doesn't seem to fit well with the storyline. It appears that they couldn't think of a better way to end the movie. But there is a wonderful twist at the end. Overall, I really enjoyed this movie! S. Bremner, Bosnia This is a fantastic piece of work, the characters, plot and script are intriguing, full-bodied and edgy. I think it flopped in the States because of its twisted ending and uncomfortable conclusion.

Which is handled perfectly, by the way. Wow! Wonderful movie. Sean Penn is equally talented in front of, as well as behind the camera. Sharon, South Africa This film is garbage. I watched it on video and almost fell asleep. I was determined to stick it out until the end in case something exciting happened - it never did! I guess it is supposed to be very deep and meaningful but it is just boring. Don't waste your time or money on it. JB, USA The 'clever twist' ending massively disappoints the audience Mark Scott, USA I saw this film last week at a special preview. Although the two hours did drag in parts, the middle section of the film flowed very smoothly and I like the cinematic feel Penn gave to the look of the film with long dissolves, pans and extending the length of shots beyond a reasonable length. Don't want to spoil it for people but the ending was disappointing and very sad. Not a bad film but if you want Hollywood action, then watch a Tom Cruise film.

Tom, UK Only a mediocrity like Penn could take a story as compelling as this, an actor as talented as Nicholson - and still produce a pretentious bore that waffles between being a failed thriller and an exercise in egocentric artistry. Sean, it isn't too late. A sequel to Fast Times at Ridgemont High might do wonders for your inner muse. Robert del Valle, USA The Pledge is a fine film until the last fifteen minutes where the 'clever twist' ending massively disappoints the audience. Mark Scott, USA (British) I saw this the other day on DVD. It was an outstanding piece of work by all those involved, including Penn's wife, Robin. Like most of Penn's work, this is dark, deep and engaging and it does not always leave you with a sense of resolution, satisfaction or ending. Penn is definitely as good as he is behind the camera as he is in front of it. I look forward to his future work, where he will no doubt continue to bring outstanding cast, screenplays and content together.

Damien, USA I was very disappointed to see such an accomplished actor like Jack Nicholson in an awful movie like this Patti Brown, USA Predictable, filled with clich�s, marginal acting from a has-been cast, too many cut-to-seagulls-flying. Stay home Sean. Mark, USA A compelling drama, well acted for the most part. The climax was not well orchestrated, and certain portions begged more thoughtful editing. Ken Miller, USA Sean Penn should definitely stay on the other side of the camera. While some of the points he was trying to make were obvious, most of them were not, thus leaving the viewer to wonder. I was very disappointed to see such an accomplished actor like Jack Nicholson in an awful movie like this. Pattie Brown, USA I thought this was a great movie. Jack Nicholson was superb as a man possessed. And that ending........WOW! Ray McD, Boston, USA Let me tell you about this movie. I would not recommend anyone to put a penny on it. Do not even see it for free. Yes, it is a thriller but goes East. Sean Penn is a good director but this film is zero. I am sorry for those who have spent any money on it.

Ibrahim Zreik, USA I thought the film was a complete joy to watch. The acting was absolutely top notch, especially the scenes with Nicholson and Mirren and Nicholson and Redgrave. I can only think that the original and ambiguous ending didn't sit well with the popular American viewing public. I am sorry for them, but I loved it! David Kane, USA Quite possibly one of the best films I have ever seen John, USA Did Sean Penn run out of money before the film finished? What a dreadful finish to a promising film. Greg Taylor, British Virgin Islands I saw the movie a few months ago. I was really disappointed and thought that this was a waste of money. Jack Van Der Galg, USA Quite possibly one of the best films I have ever seen. Excellent acting, and this movie asks some very difficult questions along the line of "Does the end justify the means?" John, USA It is the biggest overrated load of rubbish ever Chris Rose, UK I saw this movie a few days ago without knowing anything about it.

Whilst it appeared to follow a fairly predictable script in the beginning (retiring cop is lured to solve one more murder case) it quickly revealed itself not to be a conventional thriller at all, despite keeping several of the conventions of the genre. Instead, it was a masterful study of the mental disintegration of one man, who allows his obession to ruin his life and jeopardise that of others. Whilst the photography captured Nevada's rugged beauty it also conveyed a sense that among the local rural population and all its eccentricities "anything could happen", like the senseless murders of little girls. Slow at times, I found it very worthwhile viewing, especially because of Nicholson's moving performance, though strong supporting characters (Helen Mirren, Vanessa Redgrave) were disappointingly limited (apart from an unrecognisable Benicio del Toro). The very un-Hollywood (European?), open ending was a treat I had not expected and made the tragedy of Nicholson's character all the more poignant. It's a movie whose mood will stay with you after you leave the cinema. A treat. Germana, UK I saw this film when it was released in America. It is the biggest overrated load of rubbish ever.

You could watch the first and last ten minutes and see the whole film as nothing of any interest happens inbetween. You end up not caring about any of the many players as the development and interaction of them is so wooden. Save your time and do something more worthwhile instead. Chris Rose, UK Amazon.com: The Pledge: Jack Nicholson, Vanessa Redgrave, Robin Wright Penn, Sam Shepard By prisrob TOP 100 REVIEWER VINE VOICE on January 25, 2012 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase If ever there was a film that deserved an Academy Award for acting it would be this film, with Jack Nicholson in 'The Pledge'. His performance is remarkable. Sean Penn directs this film, and as we know, Sean Penn does not like the ordinary, he goes for the unusal charcters that shape and define our lives. This film has a grocery list of some of our finest actors,Benicio Del Toro, Aaron Eckhart, Robin Wright Penn, Sam Shepard, Helen Mirren, Patricia Clarkson, Beau Daniels, Michael O'Keefe, Vanessa Redgrave, Mickey Rourke, Eileen Ryan, Sam Shepard, and Harry Dean Stanton.

Each scene was a gem, and the last third of the film has you on the edge of your seat. The film begins as a police story and then becomes a story of one man and his personal issues. Jack Nicholson, Detective Jerry Black, is a good policeman who on the eve of his retirement is brought into a grisly crime of a young girl who is murdered. It is thought that the killer is found and that answers this crime. However, Jack Nicholson's character does not believe this man was the murderer and goes on to find clues to solve this mystery. At the beginning of the film, he 'pledges' to the mother of the first murdered child that he will finds the killer. Jerry goes to such extremes as to buy an isolated gas station in the midst of the wilds of Nevada. He has found that the killer has a pattern, and he thinks that this town is near the area where the killer may next strike. A telling scene, is when Jerry visits a psychiatrist, played by Helen Mirren. He wants assitance in drawing out clues from a drawing the murdered child drew. What happens is that the psychiatrist is able too draw out Jerry, and the first signs appear that something is not right.

This is not a simple story, but a very complicated look into the mind of a good man who has problems. The film is gripping and the characters are so intricate and nvolved that we are drawn in as more than just viewers. The photography is beautiful and the back areas of Nevada are shown in all its glory. In the closing credits I found that the film was shot in Canada, and that was a disappointment. Jack Nicholson delivers the role of his life and once again shows us what this type of ability can give to a film. I am surprised I had never heard of this film until recently. I would urge everyone to view it. Highly Recommended. prisrob 01-25-12 By Friends Don't Let Friends Vote Democrat on November 12, 2016 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase Threw in in the garbage after watching it. Don't be deceived as I was by the all-star cast. Benecio Del Torro & Mickey Rourke are on screen for "maybe" a combined 5-10 minutes. Should have looked further as would not have purchased if knew Sean Penn was director as his attempts at directing are always amateurish and weak.

This movie has the pace of a turtle and leaves the viewer screaming, "Just get to the end already!"; and when you get there ending is weak and un-climatic. What a waste of time! By RamblingRose on August 24, 2014 Format: Amazon Video|Verified Purchase Ebert had this on his top 100 films list and said it was commonly overlooked. I can see why, the beginning shots of scenery drags so long it feels like a documentary and the story is gritty. As a horror wimp I had to cover my eyes for the bloody scenes. That said.. It's a gripping story that twists and turns gently, playing the watcher like a skilled fisherman tiring out a fish too large for his line. You will be fascinated by the original plot line. Recommend for fans of murder mystery movies, this one has a story you won't easily guess the ending to. By Rocky on May 6, 2014 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase This really is not a bad film. Nicholson plays a retiring police detective and really does a great job. It has just one heck of a supporting cast and directed by Sean Penn.

The reason I could not give it a higher rating was my own personal preference. My wife liked it and I liked it better the second time I watched it. It is one of those movies you are not sure about the first time you watch it and it gets better after you kind of know where its going. It is kind of hard to find, but I don't think you will be disappointed. By Comperic2003 on June 12, 2011 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase I purchased this DVD solely for its purportedly near-perfect picture quality and I was not disappointed. The skin tones are remarkably even and realistic, the clarity and detail are astounding and the black levels are deep. As for the film it self, I found it pessimistic, grim, uncomfortable and above all else, entrancing. The acting and plot are both laden with subtleties and emotional depth that, if given the chance, will leave you deeply affected. So, with all of this praise, why a 4-Star rating? Well, you will just have to watch the film in its entirety and come to share in my frustration of how unfair life can be. Highly recommended for both its artistic and technical merits.

The Pledge The Pledge Review by Ross Anthony Detective Black (Nicholson) leaves his own retirement party to investigate a horrific rape/homicide crime scene. The victim is only seven years old. Though there's a flurry of cops on the scene, Nicholson finds himself delivering the news to the trembling parents. Oddly, with no passing of time shown for them to recover from the news, Nicholson starts in with the questions, eventually finding himself in the midst of a "pledge" to capture the perpetrator. Though he "swears on his soul salvation on a cross made by the daughter" this scene plays with little intensity when, in fact, it should have set the theater resonating, sending chills down our spines. Director Sean Penn, takes his sweet time getting to this starting point. And from here, he relaxes even further. Moving with the speed of a paddle-boat upstream, the bulk of the movie is about as exciting as watching someone fish (in fact, that's the film's allegorical "hook").

In order to rescue this "made for TV" story from the cliche of it's genre, the filmmakers rewrite a predictable ending -- leaving us with a conclusion we would have never guessed; but had we foreseen, we would have chosen some other film to watch. Acting across the board is expectedly at a high level and the story itself is told respectably via editing. I'm a huge huge fan of Sean Penn the actor, but I just don't like this story. There are times, too, when more artistic sequences are indulged in much too long. Additionally, some earlier unmounted camera work dizzies the viewers unnecessarily. Lastly, the audio occasionally lags, leaving much dialogue swimming in the bass end. Aside from these technical faults, most of the production is of solider quality. If the talents of Jack Nicholson and Sean Penn draw you to their films (as they do me!), let my viewing of "The Pledge" save you a disappointing evening out. Wait for their next efforts. The Pledge. Copyright © 2001. Rated R.

Starring Jack Nicholson, Robin Wright Penn, Sam Shepard, Aaron Eckhart, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael O'Keefe, Mickey Rourke, Harry Dean Stanton, Helen Mirren, Benicio Del Toro, Patricia Clarkson. Directed by Sean Penn.

Question: Who directed the 2001 film ‘The Pledge’, starring Jack Nicholson?
Answer: Sean Penn