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One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest Customer Reviews (34 - 36 of 52 Reviews)

I watched this movie in High School after reading the novel for Literature class. Like most films made after a novel I can't decide which I liked better - probably the movie in this case! The 2002 DVD is much better than the 1997 DVD edition. It contains everything missing from the former giving the film the justice it deserves: special features, and even better a Director's Commentary. Jack Nicholson may look a little hard to take with spiked hair and stirring up rebellios inmates to free themselves against Louise Fletcher's evil to the bone Nurse (she didn't scare me all that much, but she still plays the role to perfection). From beginning to end you watch the film with so many emotions; humor, sadness, this movie has it all. I personally loved the card playing scenes, and the cheering, and the Chief carrying the sink away in retribution for Nicholson's...sorry don't want to spoil it. Definitely recommended, and I must say, even though it's within his younger years, Nicholson's best film to date! Not only Nicholson but seeing so many other actors in their younger years: Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, Vincent Schiavelli, Brad Dourif, Peter Brocco, Michael Berryman, Sydney Lassick, William Redfield...just a fantastic cast and a must see!

A strong and thought-provoking film
Jack Nicholson offers an Academy Award winning performance as Randle McMurphy, a man who has decided to work his way into a mental institute after spending time in prison, wich is by his reasoning a much harder place.

McMurphy has a hard time adjusting to the ward, though mostly due to the hard and even megalomaniatic nurse Ratched, played by Louise Fletcher, who joined Nichols by winning the lead female role Oscar with her chilling performance.

The movie introduces a wide variety of human destinies, all ending up at the mental ward. Milos Forman has done an amazing (and, by the way, Oscar winning) job in making the novel from Ken Kesey come to live with the help of an exellent (and again Oscar winning) adapted screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman.

The movie avoids sentementality as it shows us the every day life of the ward, and manages to raise serious questions about how the society treats it's mentaly ill members.

Every one of the several supporting roles are exellently performed and every one of the characters are deep and real, resulting into a strong and thought-provoking film that deserved the Academy Award it won as the best film of the year and a film that doesn't underestimate it's audience and gives it something to ponder upon.

A funny/tragic comedy/drama
Based on the book by Ken Kesey, this film pulled in 5 Oscars (1975) for best picture, best actor, best actress, best director, and best adopted screenplay. The film stars cinematic greats Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, and Louise Fletcher.

Randle McMurphy is a criminal sent to a mental hospital for evaluation. His free spirit, and antics are not accepted very well by the authorities, but the patients like him a lot. He shows them how to live life, and not waste time blindly following the schedule of a dull mental hospital. But after a while Randle has enough of this prison and decides to escape but first wants to have one last good time with his new friends. And thanks to the domineering authority, this bring nothing but tragedy.

The first half of this film is very funny, with lots of jokes and comedy. The second half it gets serious, and is more like a drama. The film succeeds in both of these genres. The characters seem so innocent and you care about them. You cant help but smile as Randle brings new exciting things for these people to do. The acting is great by everyone in this film. This film is considered a classic, and is highly enjoyable so I recommend this to anyone, especial if you like good comedy/dramas. 5 stars.