The Two Jakes

Trailer—The Two Jakes

(Flash Review) It clocks in at 2:17 and felt like 3:17. Attempting to be one of those films where the plot slowly unfolds and gets more intricate and interesting. Sadly, I couldn't have been more uninterested. Thankfully, Nicholson was the only interesting component as expected. He is one of the Jake's and is a private eye trying to catch a wife in the act of infidelity. Someone gets shot and the case unpeels more layers of a larger issue involving money and land and more people. The storyline was overly vague and NEVER engaged me so when important things happened, I was like…I guess that was supposed to be important. Story points happened so subtly that it was hard to detect them. And there was no memorable scene(s) in the whole film. I'm already having trouble picturing parts of the film. Not good. 3 points for Jack and 1 point for some occasionally good cinematography; hard to come by in 1990.

The Cinematography evokes some of the original film, but the story is very weak. It's a cool trivia that Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino returned to one of their most famous roles 16 years later, both films from the same studio and both co starred by Eli Wallach.

The sequel to "Chinatown" (1974) finds Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) investigating adultery and murder... and the money that comes from oil. Made 16 years after its famous predecessor, the film had a very troubled production, and was supposed to be made around 1985. Originally, producer Robert Evans was to play the "second" Jake, but Towne, who was going to direct the film at that time, did not think he was the right choice and fired him. After this, Nicholson ended up directing (and it would be his last film to date). Obviously, it was never going to be as good as the original. But it did not deserve to flop, either. Jack Nicholson is commanding in his performance (and direction), and I would suspect that the film would have a growing fan base as Harvey Keitel's star rose post-Tarantino. This is the same great underworld as before, and I wish a third film would have come to pass.

Being a "sequel" to "Chinatown," I had high expectations of this film. I even gave it two looks - one on VHS and then one a few years later on DVD - because I wanted so much to like it....but it stunk each time. What a waste of money. The only thing going for it is the beautiful film-work and the great 1940s atmosphere, as "Chinatown" had some 16 years earlier when that film came out. (Kind of long wait for a sequel, anyway, don't you think?) If ever a movie could be called "convoluted," it's this one. It made Chinatown as simple as "Bambi." Even the mainline critics all agreed this was incoherent in its storytelling. It's less confusing, but not much, if you know the characters from Chinatown since there are references to "Kathryn Mulray." However, it's just too frustrating to watch and try to follow what's going on. I know lots of people who loved "Chinatown" but not one who likes this film.

Long-delayed follow-up (of sorts) to 1974's "Chinatown", which was directed by Roman Polanski and featured Jack Nicholson as 1930s private detective J.J. Gittes. "The Two Jakes" was written by returning screenwriter Robert Towne and directed by Nicholson himself, who also stars, but--despite a certain patchy swagger and style--it's a let-down for admirers of the previous film, and a yawner to latter-day Nicholson fans who might be expecting some combative, belligerent fireworks. Jack's gumshoe delves into an infidelity scandal which quickly leads to dirty doings in the oil business (it was water the first time). Confusing and deadly slow, with the irritating, gravel-voiced narration by Nicholson failing to supply the proper mood. There are a few arty camera set-ups and good players in the cast (including Meg Tilly, Harvey Keitel, Eli Wallach, and a nice 'bit' by Faye Dunaway), but it fails to intrigue even on a nostalgic level. * from ****

Jack Nicholson is certainly one of the greatest actors of this or any generation. Chinatown is perhaps his greatest film and he certainly should have won an Oscar for it. Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe certainly have nothing on his Jake Gittes! The only problem with this sequel is that it came out many years too late. I read that Robert Evans originally wanted to make it in the 1980s but legal problems held it up. The Two Jakes was pretty much ignored at the box office and got some awfully bad reviews. I could not understand why because I thoroughly enjoyed it. So many films that come out are geared towards kids and make you feel like a kid again when you see them. Thats okay, but this film made me feel like an adult seeing it. The film is as good as Chinatown in so many ways. I love the props and the ambiance of the 1940s that they use. Jack did a great job directing this film and he deserves a lot more credit.