Robert Dupea is a man that doesn't seem to fit in anywhere or with anyone. He was ill at ease with his upper class family of musicians. Robert never seems to blend into his surroundings as a middle class man working at an oil rig and dating a waitress. Even when he picks up some rebellious young women speaking against the evils of modern society and consumerism he just sit there silently looking at them with bewilderment. When a man lacks the ability to connect with anyone or anything what does he do? This is exactly what the film Five Easy Pieces explorers. Music, a simple life, family, women, friendship all of this he tries to fill in the void in his life and fails. This all works because of the amazing performance of Jack Nicholson. He brings this difficult character to life and gives a power house performance. Nicholson is able to portray a large range of emotions in this film and often does so within the same scene. Robert Dupea is a complex character running away from things unseen and Jack Nicholson makes it all seem so effortless. There is a reason why this movie launched the career of one of America's greatest actors.
The one flaw in the film was its inability to incorporate some of the more wonderful shots into the overall narrative of the film. Whenever there was a wide shot of a setting sun, Robert looking out at a lake or showing the wall of photos when we see the long shot of a wall of pictures while Robert play the piano for Catherine are such examples. These scenes should tell part of the story visually but instead they only seem like they are forced into the film because great film has these shots. While Bob Rafelson is a good director he lacks the overall talent to weave these moments with the rest of narrative. To his credit though these scenes do not feel disjointed from the rest of the film.
Some of the historical significance of this movie is a bit lost on me having not been living during this time and prevents me from connecting to the film as well as other may have during its era. Still the overall impact this film is a good display of some of the sentiment around that time. While everyone with good reason speaks about the chicken salad speech or even the scenes with the family at dinner I felt the best one is when Jack Nicholson is drunk and stuck in traffic and cursing out people for lining up in the best part of the day. He then proceeds to hop onto the back of a truck hauling junking and starts to play a out of tune piano while the truck turns off the highway away from his car and his friend. This scene perfectly shows Robert Dupea's plight as he drifts away out of tune with the world. Nicholson's performance alone is worth watching this film but it is a great film even if a bit short of amazing.
The one flaw in the film was its inability to incorporate some of the more wonderful shots into the overall narrative of the film. Whenever there was a wide shot of a setting sun, Robert looking out at a lake or showing the wall of photos when we see the long shot of a wall of pictures while Robert play the piano for Catherine are such examples. These scenes should tell part of the story visually but instead they only seem like they are forced into the film because great film has these shots. While Bob Rafelson is a good director he lacks the overall talent to weave these moments with the rest of narrative. To his credit though these scenes do not feel disjointed from the rest of the film.
Some of the historical significance of this movie is a bit lost on me having not been living during this time and prevents me from connecting to the film as well as other may have during its era. Still the overall impact this film is a good display of some of the sentiment around that time. While everyone with good reason speaks about the chicken salad speech or even the scenes with the family at dinner I felt the best one is when Jack Nicholson is drunk and stuck in traffic and cursing out people for lining up in the best part of the day. He then proceeds to hop onto the back of a truck hauling junking and starts to play a out of tune piano while the truck turns off the highway away from his car and his friend. This scene perfectly shows Robert Dupea's plight as he drifts away out of tune with the world. Nicholson's performance alone is worth watching this film but it is a great film even if a bit short of amazing.