The Jacket (2005) User Reviews

Difficult to categorize but, for all its faults, still quite a gripping roller-coaster of a movie

[Chris_Docker · 8/10 · 28 May 2005]

Every so often there's a movie that's so hard to describe that it's to picture whether it's your type of movie or not. The Jacket melds about five different genres without falling firmly into any of them. Even to describe it as an 'alternative reality' movie could put off those who think, "Oh, no, not another sci-fi". I wouldn't describe it as sci-fi. There is a love story, but I wouldn't call it that. There's some pretty disturbing shots and dizzying camera work but it's not really a horror film. What can you rely on? A stellar cast for starters: Adrien Brody, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Keira Knightley, Kris Kristofferson. All needed as the story is not exactly flawless, but the combined characterisations and sheer ingenuity keep you in suspense and mostly make you want to forgive any shortcomings in this rather ambitious project.

If you like stories nice and simple, stay away. If you like a challenge, The Jacket might fill the bill. It's not quite such a headbanging puzzle as Mulholland Drive, and it doesn't have the cutesiness of Donnie Darko, but it is in the realm of dark, weird and ultimately rather moving experimental film.

Brody is Mr quite nice guy Jack Starks, apparently shot dead at point blank range in the Gulf War - but hang on a minute, his eyelids blink before they pronounce him dead and he recovers - with amnesia but otherwise OK - then he gets committed to an asylum for the criminally insane fro a murder he didn't do, and we're talking 1990s when some pretty strange experimental psychotherapy went on behind closed doors. Enter the old doctor, played by Kris Kristofferson, who looks like he's had one too many acid trips and survived and believes he can think up new treatments for nutters like Jack Starks. During some pretty unconventional (not say unethical by today's standards) solitary 'treatment', Starks sees himself in 2007. The treatment is a combination of drugs and sensory deprivation - a sort of Neanderthal NLP the hard way. Each time he is locked up in 'The Jacket', Starks' projected timeline lets him interact with other characters in his dilemma. It gets continuingly creepier and the tension builds to an ending that leaves you shocked, horrified and filled with warmth at the same time.

Trippy Yet Still Intelligent

[marntfield · 8/10 · 10 August 2005]

First off, this film is not for everyone. It does, however, seem to delineate an emerging and exciting trend in contemporary film making whereby directors are becoming increasingly enamored with these sorts of dark, brooding, almost dreamscape-like and melodramatic thrillers which defy archetypal and conventional narrative formats. Think of the "The Machinist" and work your way backwards to "Vanilla Sky", or even as far back as 1990's "Jacob's Ladder" as one other reviewer accurately suggested.

To this end, "The Jacket" represents the apotheosis of this rising genre, and is both an artistic psychological thriller, as well as what you might call a metaphysical tragedy, and easily envelopes the viewer into its morose and sterile world replete with dreary snow scapes, perpetual grey skies and faces, muted and washed out colours, institutional isolation, and the angst of working class loners. The film's imagery and the pace of the story and script immediately command one's attention from the outset and the film is unrelenting in both its tension and gumption. Because of this, despite the story's meandering timeline and lack of feasible explanations for the protagonist's "visions", the viewer is still to an extent able to believe what they're seeing. Because the film takes itself so seriously, and actually pulls it off, the viewer then buying into the fantasy of the story becomes far more palatable than it does in other misguided attempts at this same sort of risky and artsy storytelling ie: "The Butterfly Effect".

This is an ambitious film which taps into both the romanticism and pain of our dreams and our memories, and how they both act upon us, and cause us to act upon them. It examines what is real versus perceived, the fragility of life, how each persons's life effects others, even passing strangers, and the sovereignty of the self and the mind. The film features outstanding performances from just about everyone on screen, particularly Brody as the hapless and tortured Jack Starks, and Kristofferson as the morally ambiguous and equally tortured Dr. Becker.

Despite the big names on the marquee, however, this, as previously mentioned, is not a cut and dry "popcorn flick" and will leave many people bewildered. It is for these people that the "Butterfly Effect" was made first, and now with them out of the way, the timing for a film of this caliber which deals with these issues properly is appropriate. "The Jacket" is a trippy and entertaining yet still very intelligent film which asks only that you check your preconceptions and logical rectitude at the door. By doing so, you'll find the imagination of this film is fact more real than you might have expected.

Amazing Cast.

[yusufpiskin · 8/10 · 19 March 2020]

I can understand how other audiences would be turned off by some things, but personally this film was right up my alley. Definitely will watch again. It felt like there were a few different plots going on, yet they all resolved well and funneled into the same happy/hopeful ending. Love this psychological thriller.

An excellent movie if you can take wanting more when it's over.

[brauner · 10/10 · 13 June 2005]

I just finished the movie and it really is a great piece of work. No futuristic crap mixed up though you might expect it. Miss Knightley really does a great job playing the part, though her role seems to have been kept a bit too far in the background.

The whole idea of changing the future has been brought up before, but this time instead of changing the future by altering the past it brings new perspective by altering the present by adding new info from the future. At first it reminded me very much of Butterfly Effect. If you like that one, you'll love this one.

It also shines new light on the subject whether or not you can change your own destiny which hasn't been brought up in a while.

It surely is a "must-see".

Artsy Twilight Zone

[brenttraft · 9/10 · 5 March 2005]

"The Jacket" has gotten some bad press because the plot has a lot of holes in it, but if you suspend belief and just enjoy the movie, it is a lot of fun.

Any film that involves time travel requires that you suspend belief, and "The Jacket" is no different. What makes "The Jacket" better than most sci-fi thrillers is the production quality. The scenes in the hospital are done in muted colors which look like hand painted black and white. The scenes in the future are done in super saturated colors. I thought the super close-ups added to the disorientation and claustrophobia of the protagonist.

The acting is first rate. Adrien Brody is convincingly haunted. Kiera Knightly does an acceptable American accent.

Fans of "The Twilight Zone" should like this one. It is rated "R" for language, nudity, sex, violence, and disturbing images in a mental hospital; so you are getting your money's worth. If you like good production quality and want to go for a thrill ride, check this one out.

Outstantding!

[chillami · 25 January 2005]

I was fortunate enough to see this at Sundance on opening night and I thought it was absolutely BRILLIANT. Adrian Brody was incredible and I thought it was directed almost flawlessly. I highly recommend it.

The film really makes you think and I was disappointed not to be able to ask questions I had during the Q&A which followed the premiere. I think there are loads of things hidden in this film which you would have to see several times to catch. That is my idea of outstanding film making.

I could have done without the nudity which I saw no reason for. I think a love scene is much more erotic when you don't see anything. Body parts don't need to be shown. Most of us have decent imaginations. :-)

Chris

Quite interesting

[baliyev · 7/10 · 29 May 2022]

I liked the script and performance of Brody.

It was well designed and intrigued storyline, which leaves warm feeling when the movie ends. Since such movies definitely tickle into my taste and my mind I have quite positive feedback on The Jacket.

Should be watched by anyone, who is into such movies, as Shutter Island etc.

A little confusing

[RosieD101 · 7/10 · 4 December 2020]

The premise of this film is promising, but it has some huge holes in it which cannot be ignored no matter how much you want to 'love' this movie. Brody and Knightley serve the script better than it deserves. The story is too slow to start, but ends in a fragmented hurry. And, while this might be purposeful, by the end it just seems a little too convenient and contrived. Worth watching, but don't employ any critical thinking.

Profound Performance!

[spiccinino · 10/10 · 27 June 2005]

Adrian Brody deserves at least, an academy award nomination for his performance in this film. Sadly I fear this film won't be recognized because of it improper marketing and poor performance in the theaters. This film was promoted as a horror film, just look at the tag- line, "Terror has a new name!" What kind of crap is that? Anyway I don't think he will be recognized for this role even though I believe he should. Also, Kiera did a stunning job! I was totally surprised by her performance as well. I mean she hasn't been terrible in her past films, just no where near as deep or real as her role in this film. All in all I really enjoyed this film. The direction, cinematography, compositing (effects in his eyes) and Editing were superb. I will watch this one again and I would recommend it any day.

Good, if you can just sit back and not ask too many questions

[gregsrants · 6/10 · 6 March 2005]

Being trapped in a confined space, it would seem, gives one clarity. Uma Thurman's character in Kill Bill Vol. 2 was buried alive and was able to recall the days of her training. Jason Schwartzman was zipped up in a large bag to help him reflect on his life in I Heart Huckabee's. But the claustrophobia that these two films tried to inject in a simple scene is exploited into a full-length film in the new Adrien Brody thriller, The Jacket. Brody plays Jack Starks, a name said so often during the film that I didn't have to look it up again days later when preparing this review. Jack is the opposite of lucky. In 1991, he goes to Iraq only to be shot in the head by a child trying to protect his family. As the voice-over quickly points out, he is 26 and that was the first time he died. Flashing forward 12 months, Jack is trying to hitch a ride on a cold winters morning when he is picked up by a tense and anxious young driver (played by bad boy Brad Renfro). When a police officer pulls over the duo shots are fired leaving the officer dead and Jack with yet another bullet hole. When he awakes, Jack finds himself with temporary amnesia and the lack of his recollection of the incident allows leaves him as the only suspect to the murder. Jack is then sentenced to a mental institution where under the care of Dr. Becker (Kris Kristofferson) he finds himself being strapped in a straight jacket and thrown into a morgue locker as part of an experimental treatment. For reasons that never become overtly clear, this process allows Jack to travel into the future where he befriends Jackie (Keira Knightley) whom he had met as a young girl the day of the murder years previous. Together, they try and piece together the years between his incarceration and the present date, Christmas Eve 2007 while Jack uses his knowledge of the future to impact the lives of the present. The Jacket jumps around in time so frequently that it takes you about half way through the film to understand what exactly is going on; and even then, I wasn't exactly sure how it all pieced together. Was he real? Is he a ghost who haunts those that lead to his death? Neither of these questions come clean with acceptable answers, but for a movie of this genre, I guess we can expect to cut it some slack and do some piecing of assumptions together ourselves. There are so many things about this film that just don't work well. The chemistry between the two leads is so non-existent that it is completely unbelievable that Jackie would befriend the eerily gawky Starks and their love scene was nothing more than an attempt to throw Knightly's first screen nudity at a confused and somewhat bored audience. And although The Butterfly Effect was no Gone With The Wind, it at least appreciated the fact if you change something in the past, it should have drastic effects on how the future unfolds. But there are things that do work wonderfully. The color scheme of using only blues and greys in the Mental Institution give it a CSI: NY feel that fits well within the sterile setting. Also used to good effect is the claustrophobia of the locker. Much like Uma in Kill Bill Vol. 2, the screen goes dark and you feel as if you are squiggling along with the character trying to gasp for air while fending off insanity. Director John Maybury (you are excused if you have not yet heard of him), does an ample job of keeping the movie moving even if we don't quite understand exactly what it is moving towards. Based on a screenplay by Massy Tadjedin (again, you are excused), the movie doesn't allow you to have many popcorn refill breaks and be able to understand exactly where these characters are headed. Whether you like The Jacket or not will depend on whether you are someone who can sit back and enjoy a film or whether you think you are smart enough and try to jump ahead to try and figure things out before the characters do. I was in the latter category upon first viewing, but enjoyed it enough for a recommendation upon a revisit.

It doesn't make any sense

[victork · 4/10 · 21 November 2005]

The movie has an "entertaining format" and keeps you hooked while you try to figure out the story, what is happening now, what happened in the past and what might have never happened. But all ends up being a big waste of time when you realize that the movie doesn't make any sense and that the film makers didn't have a clue about how to make the plot "complete the circle". When a film requires you to understand - and this movie certainly pretends that - then it has to make sense. Otherwise, you better sit down for pure entertainment, like a Batman movie. I've enjoyed a lot movies that ask you to think a little beyond what's just presented to you (like Jacob's Ladder or Memento). But this movie doesn't make sense - it keeps you thinking and in the end you realize that it was a waste of your time and money.

Based on a Jack London Book, The Star Rover

[ddtac · 3 March 2005]

Just saw this at an advance screening. I liked it. Adrien Brody and Keira Knightley carry this film well. Although I have to admit that i was in the front row and watching a cinemascope film like that has one turning their head from left to right a lot. I recommend the star rover novel to read to anyone who likes this film. It was published in 1913, one of londons last books. it dealt with how the prison system at the time would strap people in straitjackets so tight that it would cause damage. The hero of the book comes to desire the tightening of the straps to the point where the guards have not seen, in order for him to more spiritually transcend his mind and soul into another life. He jaunts into other existences, all past, ie napoleon battle, viking conquest, to free his mind from the pain. The Jacket takes this idea in a way where the hero goes to a place that is involved in the plot running in the present.

Top notch story telling

[CAMACHO-4 · 7/10 · 4 August 2005]

In "The Jacket" a lone drifter named Jack Satrks who has gotten discharged from the military after the gulf war helps a mother and daughter with their car trouble. The plot then takes a fast jump to Starks in a mental institution for the criminally insane. During a cruel experiment conducted by the Doctors in the facility he's forced to wear a straight jacket and is locked into a closet. He soon begins to fight to distinguish between the real world and the world in which his mind has created for him.

Adrien Brody gives a fantastic performance as a tortured war vet who just wants to find happiness. Brody manages to keep the audience wanting more all the way to the end. Kiera Knightly and Jennifer Jason Leigh use their great acting abilities to smooth the story along and make this movie a must see.

Whattttt

[zhyarTheChosen · 9/10 · 3 October 2020]

What the hell why it is a 7 rated movie you people don't know what a great movie is

WOW...

[markovd111 · 10/10 · 5 January 2019]

Reviewing this kind of movie is pointless... It's a subjective experience. That's why I gave it 10/10... Somebody might not get it at all and give it less stars and that's OK. As for the movie itself, I can only say it was a cathartic experience. Not a lot of movies make me smile with the characters, not because it's funny, but because I'm happy for them. Not a lot of movies make me cry, and this one did it. It's beautiful, it reminds you that our every action is noticed and means something to someone, and what's most important, it reminds us that we are not immortal, so we don't waste our given time. If I could recommend any movie for all people to watch, it would be this one. Watch it... Not because it needs to be more popular ( that's also true), not because of the movie itself... No... Because of you... Because of you...

Jack and Jackie just missed

[ferguson-6 · 6/10 · 6 March 2005]

Greetings again from the darkness. Another of my favorite genre, the psychological thriller, "The Jacket" just misses being one to remember. Despite a terrific cast lead by Oscar winner Adrien Brody ("The Pianist"), director John Maybury seems unable to seize the crucial moments and really explore the human drama in this story line.

Keira Knightley ("Bend it like Beckham") shows that she is more than a soccer player or archer and can draw upon her dark side very nicely. We will undoubtedly see more from her. Great to see Jennifer Jason Leigh in a "normal" role. In the past, she would have been one of the patients, not one of the doctors, at the asylum. Rounding out the cast are Kris Kristofferson (his understated droning work fine here), Kelly Lynch as a strung out mom, a grown-up Brad Renfro (he was the boy in "The Client"), Daniel Craig (Paul Newman's gutless son in "Road to Perdition") and a torn up, but still alive Mackenzie Phillips. For those too young to remember, Ms. Phillips is the daughter of John Phillips from Mama's and the Pappa's fame, was a child star of "American Graffiti" and "One Life to Live", and may be best known in Hollywood for all of drug problems.

The movie does a nice job of capturing the hell that would be the combination of a straight jacket and morgue drawer; however, never quite makes the connection between the Brody's current situation and his future world. Much more could have been made of the Brody and Kristofferson relationship and the final 15 segment is pure made-for-TV material. Brody is masterful at posing and strutting and often appears to be straight from an Abercrombie and Fitch ad. He does emote very well, but Mr. Marbury seems more interested in having his star look cool rather than act. If you have seen "The Butterfly Effect", you have seen this movie. If you have not seen "Jacob's Ladder", you should - it is much more representative of a quality thriller.

Best movie I have seen in a long time

[rejectswithdefects · 10/10 · 24 July 2005]

Rented this movie, and I have to say, its one of the best films I have seen in along time. It's a complex story line, where paying attention is key, probably makes even more sense the second time around. I almost teared up at the end, not 'cause it was sad, but because it was beautiful, and compelling, a must see movie. You may think this movie won't be good, but don't brush it off, 'cause it's officially on my top 5 favorite movies list.

Adrien Brody delivers a awesome performance worthy of an Emmy. If there is one movie you should rent this year, it's The Jacket.

Great movie!

Damion Crowley's Review

[Frequency270 · 6/10 · 8 March 2005]

7 of 10/70 of 100 I agree with many of the other reviews/comments posted here. The 'Jacket' is the kind of the movie that you can enjoy if you don't think about it too much. Unfortunately, many of the plot holes are doing the Lindy right in front of you, so disregarding them is no minor feat.

Adrian Brody plays an Army vet who receives a head wound that takes him briefly to the realm of death. It seems that he is discharged about a year later (minor flaw 1), and becomes a bum. He bumps into a little girl and her drunken mother on the side of the road and repairs their broken-down vehicle. The mother fears he's a pedophile and chases him away. He then is picked up by an outlaw who gets him involved in a shoot-out. The outlaw then vanishes, leaving him the only suspect.

He is admitted into an institution for the criminally insane, where he is experimented on by a doctor. The doctor uses a morgue drawer and a strait-jacket (thus the title of the movie). The set-up for this, while artistic, is more than a trifle unrealistic in the last decade of the twentieth century. While locked in the drawer, he discovers he can travel forward in time, where he meets the girl(now a young adult)and tries to rehabilitate her depressed life. Through-out this, the acting is fine, if a little uneven, and certainly takes large leaps of faith in the characters and plot plausibility.

The conclusion is very confusing as the director seem to be torn between make a dark, original ending or the happy Hollywood ending, tried making both and ended up with something that was just odd. Nothing about this movie really requires the large screen, so waiting for this to come out on video won't dampen the experience. If you can catch it on matinée or bargain theaters (if you are an ardent theater-viewer), that will more likely guarantee your money's worth. A flat seven on the ten-point scale.

Brilliant!

[rauh-georg · 9/10 · 26 March 2010]

Awesome movie with interesting plot and outstanding actors.

Reading the plot description one could make the mistake and expect some rather low quality B "action" flick.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Out comes an outstanding movie which will capture you from the beginning to the end, guaranteed.

Its not your typical action-flick or cheaply made horror movie by any means.

Adrien Brody again proves he is probably one of the best actors we have currently, in my opinion he is just phenomenal. He gives the story depth and credibility. Kira's performance was "ok", not much too say here (sexy as always of course) and Daniel Craig and Kris Kristofferson did a great job also.

I watched the movie and it immediately became one of my favorites.

Highly recommended! G.

Kira's performance was "ok"

Ambitious if Ambiguous

[JamesHitchcock · 6/10 · 4 August 2011]

Jack Starks, a veteran of the 1991 Gulf War, is charged with the murder of a policeman. Although Starks is innocent, the fact that he is suffering from amnesia means that he is unable to prove his innocence, and he is found "not guilty by reason of insanity", and placed in a mental institution where he is subjected to cruel experiments. He is injected with an experimental drug, bound in a straitjacket (from which the film takes its name) and placed in a morgue drawer. In this condition, however, he finds that he is able to travel into the future; he awakens to find himself in 2007. (Two years after the film was made in 2005).

The other main character in the film is a young woman named Jackie, whom Starks briefly met as a young girl shortly before the murder of the policeman. In 2007 Jackie, now in her twenties, tells Starks that he died on 1st January 1993, only a few days after he entered the mental hospital in December 1992, so cannot be who he says he is.

The film is reminiscent of two great time-travel romances from the seventies and eighties, "Quest for Love" and "Somewhere in Time". Like "Quest for Love" it also plays with the idea of alternate realities and of altering time; Starks makes a number of trips into the future, into differing versions of 2007. (In one, for example, Jackie is a waitress, in another she is a nurse). Starks has to resolve the paradox of how he can be alive in a future in which he is already "dead" and to use his knowledge of the future to try to prevent not only his own death in 1993 but also that of Jackie's mother Jean who we learn died in a fire some time during the period between 1993 and 2007.

The best thing about the film is the performance of Adrien Brody as Starks. I was very impressed with Brody after seeing him in his Oscar-winning role in "The Pianist", but had not seen much of him since that film came out in 2002. (Apart from "The Jacket", the only one of his subsequent films that I have seen is "The Village). Brody does not have classic "film-star looks", but in both "The Pianist" and "The Jacket" he is able to turn his looks to his advantage, using his long, gaunt face to suggest a haunted man suffering both physically and mentally. Kris Kristofferson is also good as the psychiatrist Dr Becker, a man who in his quest for scientific knowledge has lost sight of his humanity, although I was rather disappointed by Keira Knightley as Jackie; this is not one of her better films.

I would not rate "The Jacket" as highly as either "Quest for Love" or "Somewhere in Time"; the theme is not handled as clearly and the plot tends to become excessively complex and ambiguous in the second half of the theme. Nevertheless, it is an intellectually ambitious film, a welcome exception to the post "Star Wars" assumption that all science-fiction films must be huge blockbusters dominated by special effects, and worth seeing if only for Brody's contribution. 6/10

The Jacket film that exceeds expectations

[eva3si0n · 9/10 · 12 February 2023]

The Jacket film that exceeds expectations. When you start watching, you expect to see a regular drama with a good cast. And you get one of the best films using a time loop as the main plot element. And after all, the plot is simple, not overloaded with anything. But how well Adrien Brody played his role. You really believe his feelings. Perhaps The Jacket impresses the viewer, because he speaks in simple language and is understandable to everyone. A great film, very surprised that he recognized him only now. The Jacket can be recommended for everyone to watch, it's both great drama and a good thriller. Everyone will find their own in it.

A Flawed But Enjoyable Time Travel Epic

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 7 January 2010]

A Gulf War veteran is implicated in a murder and can't recall the event, so he is sentenced to time in a loony bin. While there, he is put in a jacket and given a drug that seemingly sends him fifteen years into the future.

Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley (at her hottest), Kris Kristofferson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Daniel Craig (who looks more like Tommy Lee Jones than James Bond)... that's a freaking great cast. How could this film have been bad? And, of course, it's not bad. It's an interesting science fiction romance about a man who time travels and has some strong connection to a little girl (who, thanks to time, is also a young woman)... and they together must solve the mystery of his own death, creating havoc in the process. It's suspenseful and gripping, like a corpse hand on a bag of money.

Now, if you're a picky person like I am, you'll be like, "wait a second... there are some serious flaws and paradoxes". But ignore those! Do not pay attention to those plot holes! That is a mistake and will take away from what is a genuinely great story.

Perfect, Amazing, GREAT, Sexy, Artst and Lovely!

[StrengthToCarryOn49 · 10/10 · 23 June 2005]

Literlly a TEN! 2 thumbs WAY up! This was an uplifting, thoughtful, mind thriller! It makes you really think. This is not scary though. The romance and chemistry between "Jack Starks"(Adrien Brody) and "Jackie Price" (Kiera Knightly) was perfectly amazing! Adrian Brody has a way of drawing you in through his eyes and actions in all his films. I nearly cried at the end (Not saying if it's happy or sad) and I was just amazed at how it basically showed that life has meaning, and second chances ARE possible. Like he says in the movie: "I think we live through certain things, just to say that we actually did live through them. Not anyone else, but you." Amazing and lovely! I URGE you to see it and I was angry that it wasn't int heaters for long. By the way, I'm gonna marry that man! Hehe. --Natalie R.L.

If you liked Memento and Identity.....

[kavenga · 7/10 · 9 March 2006]

If you liked Memento and Identity, movies that messed with your head and made you think, you'll probably like The Jacket. As in Memento, you'll sometimes wonder if now is now. And as in Identity, you may wonder if one or more of the characters is "Live or Memorex." The only problem I had with the film was the pairing of Adrien Brody with Kiera Knightley. They were both fine in their individual roles, but for whatever reason the romantic connection between them seemed a bit off key. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kris Kristofferson were well-cast in their supporting roles.

If you check your skepticism at the door before you enter the theater, you should be in for a good ride.

Underrated

[Abd_Elrahman_Tarek · 8/10 · 7 January 2023]

I don't know how people don't talk about this movie. I think it's one of the most underrated movies I've ever seen. I thank the opportunity that made me watch it. I loved this movie and I really enjoyed watching it. The cast was perfect and the performances were great especially from Keira Knightley, Adrien Brody and Daniel Craig. I love Keira Knightley, and when I know that she is in any movie, I get very excited and immediately go to watch it, because she has a wonderful spirit and great acting capabilities. Adrien Brody is also a great actor and he chooses his roles carefully to make you always eager to see him. I think I will watch this movie again later so if you didn't watch it yet, I highly recommend it to you.