Miloš Forman (1932–2018)

Perfect cast, beautiful movie. I used to see it as an allegory for individual versus society, a larger statement about trying to break out of the shackles of a more conservative time and failing. Which it is, but this last time I engaged with it more as just the story of those particular individuals, and how Nurse Ratched may represent an oppressive society but she's also a specific type that we all have to deal with throughout our lives.

An apparently sane convict is transferred to a mental hospital.

One of my biggest movie pet-peeves is the Nurse Ratched character: the unrelatable villain who exists for the sole purpose of committing gross injustices against innocent characters, thereby uniting the easily manipulated members of the audience with the protagonist in their common hatred of something absurdly easy to hate - the Nazi Commanders or the Wicked Step Mothers of the fictional world. It's really a testament to how show more great this movie is that even though it's the quintessential example of that type of character device, it still works, and I don't roll my eyes even a little.

Concept: A
Story: B
Characters: B
Dialog: A
Pacing: A
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: A
Acting: A
Music: C

Enjoyment: A

GPA: 3.4/4 show less

The first time I saw this I left the theater unable to speak. It's the movie that made Nicholson a star, full surprises, with the coldest villain in movies and a very powerful ending.. The original music is almost unearthly, and it haunted me for years. Based on Ken Kesey's excellent novel, which is different in very significant ways, not the least of which is the point of view. The end of the book lacks the drama of the movie, but there's a lot more to it.

By modern standards, the majority of the film might come off as a bit bland and straightforward, but it is still superbly acted, with plenty of memorable and funny bits interspersed. And in the end, the journey is well worth it, as the amazing ending makes the movie's status as a cinema classic hold up.