Wednesday 2 August 2023

The Pledge (2001 Sean Penn)

Jack Nicholson's simply sensational, as is everyone else in actor-turned-director Sean Penn's troubling psychological thriller based on a Durrenmatt novel, adapted by Jerzy and Mary Olsen Kromolowski; all aided by Chris Menges' photography, Jay Cassidy's often remarkable editing and unsettling music by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer.

The scene with the psychoanalyst Helen Mirren is the decisive one because we know from this point on that Nicholson is nuts, despite what seems genuine affection for the girl (Pauline Roberts, one of two films).

Tasty cast includes Patricia Clarkson, Benicio del Toro, Mickey Rourke, Aaron Eckhardt, Robin Wright Penn, Lois Smith, Harry Dean Stanton, Dale Dickey, Vanessa Redgrave, Sam Shepherd.


I think Penn's best film. He was Palme D'Or nominated but Nicholson was totally overlooked by everybody.

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