Review of The Pledge (2001) by Chris D — 20 Dec 2010

"The Pledge" is a film that really goes unnoticed, and it's too bad, because it's quite good. Sean Penn hasn't directed many movies in his career, but he certainly knows how to do it. This is a prime example of why he knows not only how to act in a movie, but how to make one entirely.

The plot is pretty simple. Jack Nicholson plays a retiring police detective, and a murder of a young girl takes place. The case is closed but Jack doesn't think the man who was implicated actually did it. The whole movie conveys the character figuring out information, and growing a relationship with another girl, and her mother. It's not really the plot thats fantastic, but the undertone of character development that takes place in the movie is actually pretty well done.

I felt that Nicholson really did a good job in this movie. In certain scenes, it really seemed like he put his heart into the performances. Him and Penn are a really good team. A couple of other actors were pretty good, like Helen Mirren, who had a pretty small roll, but still got the job done. Sean Penn really pays specific attention to the acting in his directing, obviously because he is an actor...so he knows what he's doing. That's why this movie works out so well. The performances are great.

It's got an interesting feel to it. Theres a lot of good editing in this movie as well. A lot of helicopter/landscape shots in this movie are very well done. We see Nicholson driving in his SUV across the Colorado landscape and we just admire what were looking at. It's very well done.

But above all else, this movie is truly suspenseful. I literally had no idea what was going to happen. A lot of scenes kept me on the edge of my seat, and that's why this movie was effective as well.

The movie had a pretty good soundtrack as well. It fit in with the emotions of the characters, and the editing on the screen. Pretty cool...

Another really interesting thing about this movie that I forgot to mention is how bold it is. The steps that Penn and Nicholson decide to take in this movie really mark uncharted territory in a way. They do things that you really wont see coming. It's really awesome.

Not much else to say about this movie, except that I highly recommend it. "The Pledge" is a sophisticated, eery and dark thriller. The performances are great, and it's filming style will make you fully aware that Sean Penn made the movie. Worth the view without a doubt.