Rating of
3/4
Call me crazy for not loving this film...
Gabe - wrote on 12/28/12
Now, I'll admit, it's been a long while since of I've read Ken Kesey's book, but I remember thinking that it was just OK. And, I have to say the same for the film, it just moves really slow. The last half-hour picks up the pace, but, it still doesn't make up for the first 100 minutes. And, there was no talk about the "machine." I'm not saying that it was needed, but it was a huge part of the book.
Now, for the awards, because I feel that this movie has to be examined from an Academy Awards standpoint because it is one of only three films to win the "big five" Oscars along with It Happened One Night (1934) and The Silence of the Lambs (1991).
First off, let's analyze Best Picture, I've seen 4 of the 5, I have not seen Barry Lyndon, but I don't necessarily have a problem with this film winning, but I personally think Jaws and Dog Day Afternoon were better films, Nashville is just awful. Jaws has probably had the larger legacy, it practically started the whole concept of the "summer blockbuster."
As for Best Director, I'm again OK with Milos Forman winning, but Sidney Lumet also did a bang-up job with Dog Day Afternoon.
Best Actor, I'll admit, I've only seen two of these films, but Jack Nicholson was the right choice, with Al Pacino being a close second.
I can't comment of the Best Actress award, because I haven't seen any of the other contender, but Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched just didn't scream "leading lady" to me.
And the award for Best Adapted Screenplay was really no contest. When anyone makes a half-way decent film of a cherished novel, it will win. Kesey's novel is a modern classic.
Anyway, all 5 of the awards were probably deserved, but that doesn't mean that I have to like this film any more. If you haven't seen it, see it because it's considered a classic by people with more knowledge than me.
