Review of The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) by Conner R — 29 Mar 2010

When youâ??re trying to find a true Neo-Noir, this is hard to beat. Not only does it keep the safe feel and raunchy plotline as most Film Noirs of the late 30s and 40s, but itâ??s also a very well composed re-imagining of one. David Mamet beautifully adapts a decent script into a complete masterwork. It has all the great ingredients that make people love the movies. The look of the film is amazing as well, with a lot of great period sets, costumes and cars. You also get a real sense that youâ??re there with these characters. Bob Rafelson does another great job at directing flawless performances and capturing humans at their best and at their worst.

I donâ??t think you can get better than Jack Nicholson when it comes to shady characters, he captures Frank Chambers perfectly. While you ultimately side with him and relate to his views, he truly is a vile person. What makes it great is Jack Nicholsonâ??s deranged sense of charm, which surprisingly works every time. Jessica Lange also gives quite possibly her best performance, definitely the most natural sheâ??s ever been.

What I love most about this movie is the fact that the story is so incredibly fun and you become so invested with these two characters who want nothing but trouble. I think itâ??s great when a film can make you side with the villains, most of the time theyâ??re the most interesting ones anyway. Even through all their bad deeds, they still manage to engage you and make you fall in love with them.