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Chinatown Reviews

1974

70
from 27,776 members

Director Roman Polanski's neo-noir detective story is set during a heat wave in 1930s Los Angeles, whose residents are suffering from a water shortage as a result of an ongoing drought. Private investigator Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) runs a detective agency specializing in matrimonial strife and infidelity. When a client .. Read more

Starring	Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Diane Ladd
Director	Roman Polanski
Genres	Drama, Thriller

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Most helpful member's review of Chinatown
View all members' reviews (132)
- - 38
  - 1
  Classic Jack
  
  Jack Nicholson is in danger of being remembered as a snarling, gurning, eyebrow-wriggling loon, chewing up scenery and gloriously overacting his way through ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 160
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - a customer
  - Stevenage, England
  - 21 Sep 2003 at 15:28
Most recent members' reviews of Chinatown
View all members' reviews (132)
- - 0
  - 0
  Forget it Jake, its Chinatown
  
  Ilove this film. Nicholson plays a private investigator who becomes involved in a case which leads him into the heart of government corrouption.
  
  ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1115970
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - surreygirl
  - 10 reviews
  - Sutton
  - 02 May 2012 at 09:56
- - 1
  - 0
  Good story.
  
  The storyline keeps us thinking (and then still suprises) till the very end and that, with the crew like Jack Nicholson, makes the movie worth seeing. The ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1065835
- - Olpa
  - 1 review
  - Manchester
  - 22 Nov 2011 at 18:02
- - 0
  - 0
  Slick Nicholson
  
  Slick and atmospheric. Reminds me why I used to love Jack Nicholson - his character combines humour and intensity. Plot develops in a way that isn't too ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1040022
- - a customer
  - 12 Sep 2011 at 22:18
- - 0
  - 0
  Chinatown my Chinatown
  
  Jack Nicholson as a young man. Brilliant film. Excellently produced. Extremely well acted.
  
  In fact, considering the age of this film, it is a living ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1039134
- - Emjay69
  - 320 reviews
  - Kidlington, Oxford
  - 10 Sep 2011 at 16:57
- - 0
  - 0
  LA water gets the treatment.
  
  Jack Nicholson appears in every scene of this film and is wonderful. Apparently the script was written for him and whoever did it, did it to perfection.His ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1031468
- - canininity
  - 6 reviews
  - 20 Aug 2011 at 10:47
- - 0
  - 0
  chinatown noir
  
  intricate, uber sylish and superbly acted, chinatown boasts visual flair, directorial confidence and pitch perfect score.
  
  faye dunway makes for a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1024254
- - lukasz84
  - 62 reviews
  - 02 Aug 2011 at 00:40
- - 0
  - 0
  Heeeeres, Jake!
  
  Complex, mystery plot, which has many turns and keeps you guessing. The acting was great throughout & was nice to see Jack playing a straight guy without ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1012797
- - jamesbeard87
  - 8 reviews
  - Gloucester
  - 04 Jul 2011 at 10:12
- - 1
  - 0
  Don't forget it, Jake - it's Chinatown
  
  Set against a heatwave-stricken 1930s LA and with a languourous Jerry Goldsmith sax playing in the background, 'Chinatown' is a seductive concoction of ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 961595
- - RJNeb2
  - 772 reviews
  - London
  - 06 Feb 2011 at 23:36
- - 0
  - 4
  An average film noir effort
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  Jack Nicholson is suitably cast as a suave and roguish private detective pushing his luck.
  
  The story is very simple and not very exciting; the plot ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 947022
- - TheImaginator
  - 72 reviews
  - London
  - 15 Dec 2010 at 12:00
- - 0
  - 0
  hitchcokien - excellente prestation de Jack Nicolson
  
  Excellent polard au rythme typiquement hitchcokien savamment mené par Roman Polanski. Un Jack Nicholson au sommet de son arte et Fane deneway un peu en ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 937305
- - neodali
  - 6 reviews
  - hythe southampton
  - 05 Nov 2010 at 11:36
View all members' reviews (132)

- - 38
  - 1
  Classic Jack
  
  Jack Nicholson is in danger of being remembered as a snarling, gurning, eyebrow-wriggling loon, chewing up scenery and gloriously overacting his way through ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 160
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - a customer
  - Stevenage, England
  - 21 Sep 2003 at 15:28
- - 20
  - 2
  Chinatown's A State Of Mind
  
  I have been waiting to see this film ever since I saw Robert Evans’ autobiographical (though not exactly factually accurate) documentary "The Kid ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 299159
- - Daylight
  - London
  - 06 Feb 2004 at 11:23
- - 9
  - 1
  30 years old...
  
  ...you wouldn't believe it.
  
  Despite weaving a path since trodden by endless Columbo-esque hacks and private eyes, this film remains startilingly ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 304178
- - WillDavies1
  - Torfaen
  - 29 May 2004 at 00:54
- - 8
  - 1
  CHINA!
  
  As a intricate, detailed detective story the film is an above-average work, with Towne's script containing the maturity, and wicked sense of humor, of a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 12224
- - a customer
  - Leicester, England
  - 25 Jul 2004 at 14:44
- - 6
  - 0
  Realistic
  
  The thing I like most about this film is its realism, you are hard pushed in the modern day to find a film that can carry its narrative without having hundreds ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 320827
- - andrew1231
  - kent
  - 28 Jan 2005 at 22:03
- - 6
  - 1
  This film has the ...
  
  This film has the reputation as one of the best of the 1970's. That may be, however, it is far from being a classic of the film noir genre. There is a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 46245
- - Zamy
  - 552 reviews
  - London
  - 07 Sep 2004 at 15:54
- - 5
  - 0
  Style, humour, smart acting
  
  A very stylish moivie, beautifully shot. The story may be a bit over long and takes its time in getting moving, but builds to a fitting climax.
  
  Report this review
- 347589
- - Chrispine
  - Essex
  - 02 Nov 2005 at 19:38
- - 5
  - 1
  Gripping thriller by Polanski
  
  Jack Nicholson is in fine form as Jake Gittes, a private investigator charged with investigating the infidelity of the water commissioner in 1930s Los Angeles ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 21598
- - Welshwaspy
  - 126 reviews
  - London
  - 13 Oct 2004 at 11:39
- - 5
  - 2
  How does Polanski get away with it?
  
  Having previously found Polanski to be a director of little talent I watched Chinatown, his "masterpiece", with eager anticipation as I waited to see ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 308037
- - Anonymous
  - Warwickshire
  - 21 Aug 2004 at 20:46
- - 6
  - 4
  What's so special about it
  
  I don't think I've ever seen a 'good' Roman Polanski film; but this is probably the closest. It's a watchable Chandleresque detective story ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 306634
- - apricot
  - Beds
  - 19 Jul 2004 at 13:05

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- - Buy
- Chinatown - Blu-ray
  
  Director Roman Polanski's neo-noir detective story is set during a heat wave in 1930s Los Angeles, whose residents are suffering from a water shortage as a result of an ongoing drought. Private investigator Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) runs a detective agency specializing in matrimonial strife and ...

- - Buy
- Chinatown
  
  Director Roman Polanski's neo-noir detective story is set during a heat wave in 1930s Los Angeles, whose residents are suffering from a water shortage as a result of an ongoing drought. Private investigator Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) runs a detective agency specializing in matrimonial strife and ...