Review of Five Easy Pieces (1970) by Kim B — 19 May 2018

****.

"You have no love for yourself, no love for family, for friends--how can you ask for love?".

'Five Easy Pieces' is really quite a special kind of movie. It's dated - but not in the sense such a phrase is usually associated with. It's not that it doesn't hold up, or that its quality suffers, it's that it represents and defines a period of history that, to a certain extent, no longer exists. Much like Tennessee William's classic play 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (of which this movie reminded me of a lot), 'Five Easy Pieces' is a fascinating study of two opposing America's - two opposing ideologies, fighting each other to try and survive. Bobby Dupea, played in typically excellent fashion by Jack Nicholson, is representative of these two ways of life - he fits neither of them. Born from an upper-middle class family, he rejected his roots and his planned future and became an Oil Well Rigger in the oil fields of California, married to a waitress who he not much cares for. He cheats on her with other women, some of a similar background, another of a very different background far closer to his original upbringing. In this fight between the old America and the new, Bobby can't find a place in either. This, in turn, is what feeds his characterisation - aggressive and downbeat one moment, energetic and emotional the next. He doesn't like his partner, but can't bring himself to get rid of her either. He doesn't like his family, yet breaks down at his perceived feeling of disappointment and failure in their eyes. He can't seem to love anyone. It's a fascinating character study that, despite not having any form of focused narrative, acts as an onlookers perception of his sprawling, chaotic life. The beautiful direction and cinematography, the iconic Tammy Wynette music and excellent performances from the entire cast all elevate the material even further, allowing the film to capture an unpredictable, transformative period in history with pure grace and elegance.