A Promessa

I don't think I've ever said "Oh wow" as many times before as I did in the opening credits of 'The Pledge'. Huge name after huge name just kept appearing. Every time I thought that had to be the end of it, another massive star would pop up. It turns out a lot of them were only there for very short cameos, but still to see all those people in one movie was pretty cool.

The real star of the show at the end of the day though is Jack Nicholson. I forget what an incredibly charismatic and natural actor he was. Every scene he's in feels so effortless and organic. I actually suspect a very large portion of my enjoyment of this film was simply down to his performance.

The movie itself was a strange one. It sets up a really interesting premise, with a retired investigator who thinks the real killer of children is still on the loose. Instead of going and hunting him though, he more or less decides to wait him out with some bait set. It's not the worst idea, but it doesn't make for as interesting of a film.

Then there's the ending. I won't go into any details. I'll just say I did not care for it. And I usually love different and unique endings. But we had invested too much time and care into this story for that to be the conclusion. It felt cheap, unrealistic and extremely unsatisfying.

At the end of the day though it's going to be very hard to make a bad film with Nicholson as your lead. I enjoyed this film, without ever loving it.

Having seen "The Pledge" without knowing much about it, I got something other than what I bargained for. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

If you're looking for a good whodunit, avoid this movie. If you're looking for a fast-paced thriller, avoid this movie. But if you're into seeing an intense character study bolstered by impressive acting and clever directing (kudos, Sean Penn), you've come to the right place.

I read one IMDB review calling this film Nicholson's worst ever. This is not true -- that reviewer obviously never saw "Man Trouble" -- but I can see why some folks really don't like this movie. It doesn't deliver what you'd expect, and what it does deliver is neither conventional nor uplifting. In fact, it's pretty depressing. But if you ponder the story afterward, you realize there's a certain dark justice at work here. Like, blacklight dark.

So then, "The Pledge" is not a light and frothy piece, but if you're the type who thinks watching some poor b**tard's descent into madness is entertainment, have at it.

Detective Jerry Black (Jack Nicholson) is retiring. While in his farewell party, his colleagues are informed that an eight years old girl has been raped and murdered. Jerry decides to go to the crime scene with his colleagues. There, they realized that the child parents have not been informed about the crime, and Jerry goes to their home to give them the bad news. The child's mother Margaret Larsen (Patricia Clarkson) challenges him to promise that he would catch the criminal. The fulfillment of this promise becomes an obsession to Jerry. A tragic and dark end finishes his haunting. This thriller is really great, having a excellent director, cast and screenplay. The end of the story is not for all tastes, but I liked it a lot. Fortunately this film was not produced by a big Hollywood producer, otherwise the end of the story would be commercial and the film would lose its impact. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): `A Promessa' (`The Promise')

I have been an admirer of Sean Penn's previous directorial efforts ('The Indian Runner' and 'The Crossing Guard'), but he has really surpassed himself with this one. Re-teamed with Jack Nicholson he has helped that legendary actor create his best on screen performance since his 1970s peak ('Five Easy Pieces', 'Last Detail', 'Cuckoo's Nest', 'Marvin Gardens' et al). Nicholson has always been sensational but over the last ten years or so has sleepwalked his way through way too many movies, culminating in his irritating and mannered performance in the cliched and sentimental claptrap 'As Good As It Gets'. 'The Pledge' has obviously recharged his creative batteries. He is simply stunning in this film.

Nicholson is supported by a superlative array of actors, ranging from Aaron Eckhart ('The Company Of Men') and Sam Shepard ('The Right Stuff') to British vets Helen Mirren and Vanessa Redgrave, to Nicholson's old cronies Lois Smith ('Five Easy Pieces') and Harry Dean Stanton ('The Rebel Rousers'). While the cast is packed with familiar faces, none are gratuitous, all are first rate, and contribute to the overall excellence of the movie. Special mention must be made to the memorable cameos of Benicio Del Toro, and an as especially compelling performance by Mickey Rourke. Long underrated and often ridiculed, Rourke once again shows just how compelling he is as an actor.

'The Pledge' sticks out like a sore thumb in today's climate of wall to wall action movies, dumb comedies, and contrived "blockbusters". This is a real movie, with outstanding acting and a haunting story. Sadly fewer and fewer movies of this calibre are hitting the big screen, so treasure it!

Faithful to the book in most regards, the film is excellent, and Nicholson's performance is beyond reproach. While the denouement may have had issues (not with the point or the meaning, but rather the delivery), the film is still outstanding.

Nicholson's relationship with the girl (he is beautiful as an aged father) and his inexorable obsession with the murderer are perfect in the film. Sadly, Penn's pacing is inconsistent, as is the sense of "detective" that Duerenmatt was careful to give his novel: the film's heartbeat ranges from driving to rambling, and most thematically appropriate may have been a measured beat which is lacking here.

Nonetheless, the film is gripping, and captures the point, spirit and feel of the novel perfectly. It may not pull off the trick of being both faithful and profitable, but the film is true, and the acting impeccable.