Login
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest tops off a list of movies wherein my favorite top three are all on this list specifically because of the performances of the leads in each film. Al Pacino is what made Dog Day Afternoon bark; the shark in Jaws bought the oversized man-eating sea predator to life; and finally, in the number one spot, it was Jack Nicholson's performance that provided the strong sense of rebellious sanity that was needed to take on the state of oppressiveness that ratchedly ran the looney bin.
Whenever I watch this movie, I'm always reminded that, for me, this is about as good as it gets (...sorry). Randall McMurphy is a mischievious criminal who first ends up becoming a leader of squirrelly rebellion & then, eventually, a friend to Billy & the rest the cracked eggs residing in the Cuckoo's Nest.
Jack's portrayal in this movie is determined not to follow the feel-good formula of a self-centered man with a salt-encrusted background who then becomes overly or angelically transformed. Instead, Randall is someone who is so deeply steeped in his own irresponsibility and with a hard to reach ability to care that is only gradually bought up to the surface by the only type of people who could cause such a subtle & internal catalyst in his disfunction: a group of guys who are crazier than he is.
10/10
