How sad is this?

Good concept, poorly executed.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Life: A grim and sordid mess in which the predators among us prevail. That is the dark message of this deeply atmospheric tale of private eye Gittes (Jack Nicholson) and Evelyn, the rich but emotionally moribund woman he tries to save (Faye Dunaway). Gittes's dialogue is great and Evelyn's every gesture speaks to her traumatic past. Their chemistry offers Evelyn perhaps the only moments of joy she has ever experienced and her smile in bed offers the scarcest of glimmers of hope in a world that is rotten to its core. Maybe the message here is that human connection offers a moment of succor in a hopelessly corrupted terrain. We're lucky if we stumble upon it. But it surely won't last. The plot here is complicated and difficult to follow at times, but well worth the effort. It is beautifully accompanied by a sultry jazz-trumpet score. Poor Evelyn. She made an effort to fight back. One shudders for the child she fails to save.

This neo-noir masterwork is a one of the most shocking, and haunting crime thrillers I've ever seen in my life. Chinatown Features terrific lead performances from the Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, enchanting cinematography, a flawless script, and an impeccable, and atmospheric direction that created a rising tension. In addition, Polanski's masterpiece is intense as it's cynical, and full of intelligent twists that keep us always guessing and trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle. I really cannot find enough words of praise. For issues...... wait a second, I have no issues with this gem, I just wanted think it would have been a bit better if our protagonist, Jake, found it a little more difficult as he was searching for some of the clues, yeah there are a lot of littles, bits, and somes here. Oh I forgot to mention that its music is one of the greatest original scores ever. Also, the costumes designs are spellbinding! (9.5/10)

Every movie lover knows about the brilliance of Roman Polanski's "Chinatown". If you are reading these reviews you havent seen it yet, which positions you in a place at the gates of heaven. You have not entered heaven yet, but you will once you decide to walk through the gates and watch "Chinatown". I am rather jealous of you, because the first time is special, although the great thing about movies is, that the most wonderful stories CAN be relived time and again. "Chinatown¨ is up there with the all time greatest movies of american cinema history. The absolute pinnacle of genius.That must be enough praise to get you curious. My real advice would be not to read any further. Not my review, nor anyone elses. I just wanted to make sure with my first paragraph that you wont make the unforgivable mistake of passing this movie by. You havent lived without having seen it...The story takes place in L.A. in the thirties, in the middle of a period of drought there is a big conflict about how to get more water to the city. A previous water reservoir had collapsed and killed 500 innocent L.A. citizens and now they plan to built another one with the same faults that were present in the earlier disaster. Enter Jack Nicholson as a private investigator who at first gets an assignment that seemingly has nothing to do at all with this disaster which cost so many people's lives. He just has to research if a husband is cheating on his wife. What seems an innocent and tedious job, soon becomes a life threatening case, when Jack Nicholson finds out more than he is supposed to know about the powers that be, that want to build this risky dam, come hell or high water...The story truly is very intelligent, suspenseful and emotionally devastating and has won many awards. The number of awards is mindboggling so I wont start listing them here, but it suffices to say that everything, and I truly mean everything, could be and has been awarded about this movie. I just want to restrain myself, in order to limit the length of this review. No I cant. I just GOT TO mention everything. I'll keep it "short". The acting. Let's start with that. Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway and John Huston truly play the roles of their lives. Images so pure and intense that I can see them by just mentioning the name "Chinatown". The photography by John A. Alonzo (Scarface) is breathtaking. Almost every scene is shot in the magic hours, when the sun rises or sets and delivers shadows and golden colors that only last for some 30 minutes every day. All the images are bathing in this glow of early sunset. Almost every scene could be a poster, that is how gorgeous the photography is. Finally the music score by Jerry Goldsmith, who is a music genius. With a minimum of instruments he creates another "leading role", because his music is intertwined with the heart of this movie. Yes, his music score is so powerful and sublime that it is unimaginable to think of "Chinatown" without these dissonant piano string chords and gorgeous dreamlike trumpet themes. Jerry Goldsmith's music scores are even being used after his passing, every year till this very day, movies are released with themes from earlier scores by this brilliant composer.In the end we have to thank Director Roman Polanski for his genius in bringing all these talents together and creating something which will be seen by generations to come. In a time capsule of movie history Roman Polanski's masterpiece will shine as a star among the very greatest that american cinema has ever achieved.

Just like the plot within, this film is deceptive. You go into it thinking that you'll get just another crime drama, and from the beginning it feels like one. Then you see Hollis Mulwray dead in the reservoir, and all of a sudden it feels like you've gotten a body shot from boxing legend Joe Frazier. The rest of the film is more of a boxing match between you and the film. You think you've got it figured out, you think you're starting to get some shots on it, but then it gives you another body shot that throws all your conceptions out the window.And the film never lets up, it just keeps going and going and going. The conspiracy and plot gets thicker and deeper, thicker and deeper. Is it Cross? Is is the real Mrs. Mulwray? The only form of relief, of closure you get from the film is from a scene where Mrs. Mulwray describes a girl who she's keeping away from everyone else as both her "daughter and sister" - I'll let you do the math yourself on that one. I personally don't want to think about it.Not even the end provides closure. Just as you've started to hope for Mrs. Mulwray and start to relax knowing she's gotten away from a seemingly mentally deranged Mr. Cross, a pistol report rings out and the horn of her car starts to sound."Forget about it, it's Chinatown" Jake Gittes is told by his partner as they walk away into the darkness of the night. After seeing the debauchery, the conspiracy, and the crime present in the film, it's almost like he's inviting the audience to "forget about it" as well.