Five Easy Pieces

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Sally Struthers
Directed by: Bob Rafelson
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
1970

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A struggling oil worker (Jack Nicholson) who gave up a career as a classical pianist reluctantly reunites with his family and is reminded why he left them in the first place.

Review:

Tim: What a disappointment. This is a multiple-Oscar nominated film (including Best Picture) that comes across as boring, silly, and in the end, not very good at all. I had heard very good things about this film, and saw one of the most famous scenes, and I thought it would at least be a decent movie. I was wrong. This film is slow, boring, and does not hold your attention in the least.

There are some positives. Jack Nicholson gives a very, very good performance. It is complex, changing, and extremely difficult. Nicholson deserves a great deal of credit for the complexity of the role, even though the film does not utilize his character enough. His character is so complex and so layered that an exploration into what makes him tick would have made for a fantastic movie. It is a shame that the film lost this opportunity.

The best scene in the movie comes when Nicholson and friends are eating in a diner and Nicholson engages in a verbal duel over a chicken-salad sandwich. The scene is legendary, although the rest of the film isn't. Sadly, on the flip side of these positives, there isn't enough to make this an enjoyable experience.

Five Easy Pieces is not as good as people claim it is. The film certainly had potential, but in the end, failed to capitalize on its opportunities. I would recommend passing this film by for all but the most diehard of Nicholson fans.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Easy Rider, Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest