Review of Five Easy Pieces (1970) by Alvin Y — 28 May 2012

Five Easy Pieces, Great Movies.

I do believe, *Five Easy Pieces* is worth seeing for the pleasure of watching Jack Nicholson unable to get an order of toast with chicken salad. It's funny, sad, and yet affecting to Nicholson's character. What we knew on his character is that he's willing and not willing to have his own responsibility and own self-conscience. He works at a oil rig, has a waitress girlfriend, has a pianist sister, a sick father, a disabled brother, and yet, he doesn't give a damn about these people. The movie has a meandering, capricious style ideally suited to the revelation of character and savoring the actors' nuanced performances in a series of set pieces.

It is fascinating to see the beginnings of Robert Dupea persona here, as a charismatic antihero with an edge of violence and vulnerability. Rayette, the waitress girlfriend of Bob, is outstanding as a good time girl, a little past her prime, who must slowly watch as she loses Bob to his past. The movie is a thoughtful, meticulous character study that is ultimately extremely moving and surprising. It defines it as the first and real *Sundance* film.

*Five Easy Pieces* comes at the beginning of an innovative and fruitful period of American filmmaking, and truly is an excellent introduction to it. It's just Jack Nicholson who always has the ability to show courage without fear on every movie he is. This is Nicholson first original and inspirational movie that inspired his roles before in *Easy Rider* as George and later movies such as like *Carnal Knowledge* as Jonathan Fuerst, *The Last Detail * as Billy Buddusky, *Chinatown* as Jake Gittes, * One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest* as Randle McMurphy, *Reds* as Eugene O'Neill, *Terms of Endearment* as Garrett Breedlove,*Prizzi's Honor* as Charley Partanna, *Batman* as The Joker, *A Few Good Men* as Col. Nathan Jessep, *Hoffa* as Jimmy Hoffa, *As Good as it Gets* as Melvin Udall, *About Schmidt* as Warren Schmidt, and *The Departed* as Frank Costello. Memorable characters, memorable movies, and yet, a truly influential motion picture as it is!