Chinatown (1974) Review

J.J. is a private detective who thinks that a simple case of adultery is like something he has seen before, little does he know that he will become tangled in a web of lies, deceit, corruption and oh yeah murder!

Now where to start with this film, yes it was the first time I have watched it and I know that is terrible considering Jack Nicholson is my all time favourite actor. Another thing is for sure that this is certainly going to end up on my top 10 films I caught up with in 2015. Anyway, I guess that gears up my big thoughts on this film as being massively positive.

As soon as the film starts and a woman who is convinced her husband is having an affair heads to see J.J and wants to know exactly what is going on, it never actually feels quite right. With good reason as it turns out people aren’t who they said they were. It is actually really difficult to say much about the plot without giving absolutely loads away, or everything away.

But let’s face it the performances in the film really are fantastic from start to finish, especially from Nicholson and Dunaway. They work very well together and form a very good on-screen relationship. I will say though that the film manages to show you why sometimes it is best not knowing anything, or at least knowing too much.

Without spoiling everything I have to say the final scene and few minutes really left me totally shocked, I did not see it ending that way and was truly devastated by it. Some of the story was actually quite traumatic to think about even if we don’t see any of the acts which we are told about but it certainly made it all that more edgy.

I mean come on Jack Nicholson spends most of the film with his nose all tapped up, I am sure that scene is something you have heard of even if you haven’t seen the film before. I mean I had heard something about his nose. Even though the film does have a serious tone, at times you cannot help but smile at his appearance. It must have been quite tricky to take him serious, ok it’s difficult to do that anyway but he really does nail this film. Another well deserved Oscar nomination for the great man as well, I am certainly planning to catch up on his films I have not had the pleasure of watching yet.

I am very pleased to say that I have now seen this film and would certainly give it another watch or three. I can imagine picking up different things after watching it more than once, obviously to appreciate the acting and twists the in the story again as well. I think I need to watch more films like this one and in a similar genre to really help develop a wider range of films in my viewing history. So if you can recommend any that would be fantastic!

It also fits in very nicely with the Best Picture Project which I started earlier this year but have not focused on it nearly enough!