Review of The Two Jakes (1990) by Tammi B — 30 Aug 2011

The sequel to Chinatown is about Jake Gittes being older and fatter and content until a case involving murder by a cuckolded husband (the other Jake) opens up the L.A. rabbit hole again for him throwing up a figure from his past, and making him lose his sense of identity all over again.

Big oil issues that shape L.A. (element of fire) coincide with earthquakes and force Jake to do what the significant person of interest (Kathryn Mulwray) has already done long ago- he has to get over it.

Nicholson is a terrific director, and the reason I like this movie more than Chinatown is that Polanski was like Slipknot or Marilyn Manson or something, wanting to prove decadence and nihilism are sophisticated worldly assaults on your innocence, whereas Nicholson's attitude is that it's just business and so what.

The actors have fun and it's pretty entertaining even when the plot details are hard to follow because they're the minor diversions that keep everyone embroiled in drama. In the story everyone gets all worked up over perceived wrongdoings but in the end are trying to be good to someone so it's kind of sweet.

Key people in our lives often throw us out of balance, and if they are just doing what they do, should we blame them or try to figure out why it works out this way?