‘Absolutely excellent’ Amazon Prime film with Jack Nicholson | Films | Entertainment | EUROtoday

A 2001 crime drama starring Jack Nicholson has made a quiet comeback on Amazon Prime Video, attracting new consideration from viewers and reigniting debate round its polarising ending.

The Pledge, directed by Sean Penn, was launched with comparatively modest fanfare on the time, nevertheless it has steadily gained a cult following over time.

The story follows Jerry Black, a veteran detective in rural Nevada who’s on the cusp of retirement. At what needs to be the tip of an extended, commendable profession, he finds himself drawn into one remaining case: the brutal homicide of a younger lady within the snowy hills outdoors of city. When Jerry makes a solemn promise to the lady’s grieving mom that he’ll catch the killer, it turns into clear he can’t stroll away from police work simply but.

As his obsession deepens, he turns into entangled in a maze of suspicion, surveillance and private turmoil. The movie unfolds slowly, with a quiet depth that mirrors Jerry’s descent into solitude and uncertainty.

The Pledge isn’t involved with offering a tidy decision – it focuses on what occurs when good intentions, trauma, and a thirst for justice spiral into one thing extra ambiguous.

Jack Nicholson leads the forged with a layered efficiency that attracts sympathy with out romanticising his character’s flaws – a person haunted not simply by the crime, however by the character of his beliefs.

Surrounding him is a powerful ensemble that features Aaron Eckhart, Sam Shepard, Patricia Clarkson, Robin Wright, Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren, Harry Dean Stanton, Benicio Del Toro and Mickey Rourke. The Pledge had its screenplay tailored from the novel by Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt.

After its launch, critics praised Nicholson’s efficiency and the movie’s refusal to comply with a standard path, however its gradual pacing and unconventional ending divided opinions then and now.

Online, many have praised the movie’s emotional depth, robust performances, and the slow-burning rigidity that builds all through. One person reviewed: “Absolutely excellent film. I love the pace, the scrubby character played by Jack Nicholson. I wanted to change the station at times, but something held me to the end… and when it ended, I was angry, thinking: how could it end that way?”

They went on to elucidate how the movie lingered with them, even days after watching, including: “It’s a tragedy yet a masterpiece in my eyes… I can’t explain it, but I love it.”

Others, nonetheless, felt let down by the conclusion, describing the ending as “unsatisfying” and “unfinished”.

Some feel the film’s final scenes undo much of the tension built earlier in the story, while others argue that the ambiguity is the point – that it reflects the emotional complexity and real-world uncertainty not frequently seen in Hollywood crime dramas.

However, there is one thing most watchers seemed to agree on, with comments online echoing thoughts of: “Jack Nicholson is as good and convincing as all the time”.

The Pledge (2001) is now obtainable for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.