Review of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) by Stevenf — 06 Jul 2013

Randal McMurphy steps out of the car and calmly strides in and sits patiently, waiting to be analysed by the doctor, Jack Nicholson begins to deliver not only one of the finest performances of his career, but creates one of the most iconic and memorable characters to grace the screen.

The style, performances and wonderful variations of characters have put a sometimes flawed but otherwise masterful piece of work from Miloš The silent bliss that often accompanies many of the scenes where the dialogue is thin but the acting is superb, human interaction at its finest. The genius if RP McMurphy is the performance of Nicholson, we never quite know if this man is insane, thus ending up at the mental institution, or if his cunning wit but also lazy nature has brought him here.

But of course, there is quite the proverbial thorn in the side of our anti-hero, in the form of Nurse Ratched, a calculated and frightening care worker within the walls if the institute who is brought to life in eerily silent fashion by Louise Fletcher, her focused and condescending persona against the live wire and rambling Nicholson is a perfect light and dark or good vs evil-type set-up.

The undeniable highlights of the film are interactions McMurphy has with his fellow patients including Cheswick, Martini and of course Chief, the silent giant. From these characters it is clear that the intentions of McMurphy become somewhat unclear, is he around just to mess with their heads or is he trying to help them? But the interactions and confrontations that happen between McMurphy and Nurse Ratchet are uniquely cold, still and disturbing. The purpose unclear, but the entertainment in full swing.

The flawed moments lie in the arc of the story. The comedy, while enjoyable, also overlaps with the very serious nature of the film, which can sometimes create a blurred line as to what we should and shouldn't be amused about, but perhaps this was the intention, for reaction and criticism purposes.

The performances alone are enough to grant this masterful status, but the blend of sombre techniques and a varied score of heartwarming and heartbreaking demeanour has made it unique in every possible way, from the setting to the situations.

One of the most quotable and memorable films you will watch, with its superb characters who go above and beyond in their roles to encapsulate their characters, it truly is a great sense of wonder.