28/50: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

I really have a hard time watching films that are older for the first time and actually liking them as much as a should. The quality just isn't there anymore and it really just feels old.

However, with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, I really had issue with the fact that it was released in 1975.

R.P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) is a convict that is sent to a mental institution, despite the warden of the place believing that McMurphy is faking. While there, he befriends all of the other patients, and soon realizes that they are being treated unfairly.

He begins to teach them a few different things, like gambling and watching the World Series. He even breaks them out for a day on the lake fishing.

The main problem with the hospital is its staff, led by Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). One of the worst villains in cinema history (even voted that by AFI). Her villainy is more mental than physical, but she is truly heinous. She treats the patients horribly - and won't let them enjoy anything.

A few other bright spots were spotting Christopher Lloyd as a patient named Taber. And, once the film ended, finding out that the person playing Martini was Danny DeVito. I honestly had no clue that he was in the film, and had to go back to see who he was. I was astonished.

Anyway, the ending was horrible - and not horrible as in I hated it, but just hard to take. I won't divulge too much in case someone hasn't seen it.

Either way, I loved the film. A great performance by Nicholson - even though he was supposed to be over the time, I don't think he felt over the top.

Grade: