Jack Nicholson's best role?
 

I am just watching One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest for the first time in a very long time. I find that sometimes it is nice to go back and remember why people that are thought of so highly got that reputation.

Jack has been in so many films..many of them very good. What is your faveorite Jack role?

He was great in Anger Management as the oddball shrink.
He was also very good in "As good as it gets" when he's a bitter old guy with the gay dog-owning neighbour (that Jack sends down the garbage shoot, heh).

Jack's a great actor in general.

Very good in "About Schmidt" too... and "Something's Gotta Give"... and "A Few Good Men" (YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH!)

The Joker...

The Shining. He always plays a good nutcase.

Him and Peter Lorre more of less invented the way nutcases were played on film.

I have always enjoyed him in Witches of Eastwick for some reason..he played the devil rather well.

I agree with evildick, The Shining. I loved his psychotic breakdown and how so many similar themed films copied his style.

Cuckoo's Nest was it for me! I had never really noticed him as being anything outstanding until that movie.

THE SHINING, man! No one has a more evil smile than Jack.......:evil-laug :evil-laug :evil-laug

Offhand I can't think of a film he wasn't great in.

I think it's on account of his eyebrows, and that wide-eyed crazy smile he does.

Cuckoo's Nest

just watched it last week

he was amazing in that movie

he is a great 'facial actor', as I put it.

I have used that courtroom scene in A Few Good Men to illustrate what I think the difference between a good actor is and a great actor. You have Tom Cruise who is saying all the words just fine but has little emotion on his face. Then you have Jack who is acting with every inch of his body..veins are popping out of his neck, etc. I could have the sound off and pretty much get the gist of his part of the exchange but wouldn't have a clue what Cruise was saying.

And he probably got in in one or two takes.

The Shining, A Few Good Men and I really liked him in his most recent movie: The Departed

I would say "As good as it gets" is definitely a perfect role for him and he's pretty damn good in the new movie "The Departed". I can't think of a better actor to play that part.

Wow, that's tough. But if I had to choose, I'd have to say I loved him as Jack Torrance.

I am enjoying rewatching it..I haven't seen it since I was a kid and I was too young really to get most of it. I nearly didn't recognize Danny Devito.

I'm not sure it's his best but, EasyRider

I don't like Easy Rider as much as everybody else does. I have never done drugs so maybe that is why. It isn't bad but I just don't see it as such a great film.

:thumbsup I agree. Great in that movie.

"The wolf" - the best.

The Shining

For me it's The Shining. He's good in everything.

1-One flew over the cuckoo's nest
2-The Shinning
3-5 easy pieces

:2 cents:

he was great in "a few good men"

I agree.

I think my favorite Jack flick would be The Shining, A Few Good Men, or Wolf

In Wolf he was perfect, very well matched th erole.
He was also very good in "Can't be worse".... I don't remember exactly the name of the comedy.

did any know he was also in Tommy?

i never realized it until i watched it again a few weeks ago

he played tommy's dr.

yeah a few years back I saw it again and noticed him

Fucking awsome movie!! Scares the shit out of me everytime!!!!!

I have always thought he was a superior actor. Makes me wonder how actors like Tom Cruise or freaking Julia Roberts get so much recognition. Growing up, I saw actors like Sissy Spacek, Merrill Streep who weren't afraid to get their hands dirty. Jack is a real actor in that sense. I loved him in the Departed, yes.. but just watched One Flew over the cuckoo's nest again and realized just how much of a real actor he is. That movie stars a lot of great actors who went on to be famous, yet the characters all feel real. Not like watching Jennifer Aniston or the like "act".

A Few Good Men and The Shining.

The Shining++

The Shining

I respect that point of view but if you did do drugs you may understand the depth of his character he portrayed in Easy Rider.

A lot of people who did do drugs would understand and relate to a character he portray.

Anyway, Excuse me while I light my spliff
Oh GOD I gotta take a lift
From reality I just can't drift
That's why I am staying with this riff .......


https://youtube.com/watch?v=6mVnmA-_9I4

LOL

yeah, I have never doubted that it is me that isn't getting it rather than the film. The trippy parts with the women and stuff just look odd if you can't put yourself in the place of their trip. The acting is good..it just is one of those cases where you have to identify to best enjoy the film.

MTV generation of actors have now become the 'old school'. Part of the reason British actors have tended to be good in the past was that most of them came from extensive stage backgrounds and had to know how to act. That is disappearing in the UK and in the Hollywood world the actors of the Nicholson generation and back had to have a similar level of talent rather than just look good on the poster. Not that there hasn't always been 'crumpet' in films but most of the ones that lasted had real talent.

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one that doesn't get Julia Roberts. I have never 'bought' her in a role. The one role where I nearly 'bought' her she won the Oscar. Plus, she looks like her brother in drag.

It is one of those film, where you can identify part of yourself to a character.


I like the Shining but I can't identify with that kind of character.
The scary part is that millions of people do.