One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

To start off, I would just like to say i have never even heard of this movie. It wasnt until my brother told me to get it that i actually thought about it. After seeing it, i really wish i had heard of it before. Starring Jack Nicholson and winning 5 academy awards including best picture this movie definately reached expectations! In this movie that was filmed in 1975, theres a lot of young actors you would be able to recognize in todays films, that are quite the famous people. Even thought this movie was filmed in their younger ages. These actors including: Jack Nicholson (the shining) Danny DeVito (its always sunny in philidelphia) and even Christopher Lloyd (back to the future). Although, the actor that stood out the most to me was Brad Dourif played a mr. billy bibbit in this movie and did a great job of it.
These characters all seemed to be incredibly developed. They completely portrayed what they were going for. I felt like i was really watching what goes on in an insane asylum. Even just the small things helped us to see the real feelings of these people. Whether it was studdering, screaming, crying, or just talking with too much intelligence. They all had certain roles in this place and it was easy to see the difference between every one of them. I think they were all cast really well for their parts, mainly becasue they all did such a great job! i think if it were casted any differently it would seem really wierd to me since ive seen the original way. i dont think i would like it at all. I really like the small things they threw into their parts, what was named earlier. but even for the poepl that werent even insane the nurses for example didnt have much to make but still did a fantastic job of it. its easy to be the insane man that has fears about his wife because u have a lot to work with. but when your just the somewhat strict nurse its difficult to get more of a character. But of course, besides billy that is, my other favorite character was McMurphy played by jack nicholson. He was as usual casted great for his part and had a fun, excited, character that under everything does have a heart.
This movie has quite the interesting plot. Its about a criminal conman faking his insanity and doing a good enough job of it for getting sent to the insane asylum. He meets quite the bunch of characters there even though all he does is want to escape. While hes tehre he meets deaf and dumb "Cheif" or at least thats the nickname he gives him for being a really tall native american. McMurphy runs into some conflicts while in this asylum, whether its trying to escape or bringing the outside world to him. After getting into some fights he truly meets the chief, learning the truth about him and they quickly become attached at the hip. wanting to escape together..but a tragedy happens in the end when suicidal billy took a turn for the worse after a crazy night with alcohal and women causing McMurphy finally trying to make his escape which leads to another fight. They try to cure him of his violent ways and just end up making him really insane, making him braindead. This is when the Cheif finally wants to give McMurphy what he wants, he frees him by taking his life, and runs away. This great movie ends with the cheering of the other patients, thinking that McMurphys escaped, when in reality..it was the Cheif. Will they ever find out McMurphy is really dead? thats the open ended question left in watchers minds.
These characters really did interact well with eachother because you can see the history they have. They should have history becasue it all started with the entering of McMurphy into the clinic and they were all obviously there before he came so they kind of show how things were before mcmurphy got there more int he beginning- showing this by the way they were treating eachother and such. I think the most chemistry in these characters are with their pasts. When theyre participating in the therapy they have to go through everyday and they talk about their lives leading into their insanity, you really feel for them. for most of them anyway. They give you a glimpse of reality, shows you that somwhere, there is someone that is actually going through this and it really gets to you. it touches your heart. Especially the things billy says, about love..heloved a girl.wanted to marry her, and she said no but thats all we really hear from him before he feels like he cant talk about it anymore. He shows his suicidal past in this story-apparently thats the first time he tried.
The main setting of this movie is the asylum theyre in. Inside and out, with all the rooms. Until one scene when McMurphy steals a bus and takes some of his new friends on a fishing trip, then it takes place on a boat. but then its back to the large clinic. It is very believable that its taking place in an insane asylum, with all the white walls, nothing but beds really int he rooms, and of course theres that one room witha window for giving out medication. theres the occasional television but thats controlled by the workers, so these people really have no say in whats happening in their lives. The music in this film works because most of the time the music is whats playing already in the place. Its the quiet, boring music you hear in a doctors office waiting room. And the lighting was perfect, kind of dimmed, but showing the bright white in the room setting the right mood it added well to what i was seeing. The costuming mostly consisted of the white gowns patients had to wear and the white dresses nurses would originally wear. but you could tell mcmurphy was different becaseu most of the time he wore the clothes he wanted to, even if it was under the white assigned clothes. But all in all this movie was Excellent and i definatly recommend it to everyone! (but its 134 minutes of an R rating so be careful who you watch it with!)