Jack Nicholson has been in a number of top notch films over the years. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is an all-time classic, The Shining is a fantastic psychological horror film, and As Good as It Gets proved that there was still room in Hollywood for a smarmy older man to work his magic. But what about Five Easy Pieces? That one's sort of been left to the sands of time, hasn't it? When looking at Jack Nicholson's filmography, Five Easy Pieces never seems to get the respect it deserves. Nicholson stars as an ex-piano prodigy who rejects his upper class upbringing and runs off to work with a bunch of roughnecks, but despite his best efforts he never truly fits in either world. When he discovers that his father is dying, he hurries home to see him, bringing along his pregnant, working class girlfriend. He struggles to get along with his family because he considers them pretentious and elitist, but at the same time he can't help but look down on and be embarrassed by his lower-class friends. It's an emotionally complex performance that lays waste to the argument that Jack Nicholson always plays the same role. If nothing else, it's worth watching for the iconic diner scene, which is one of Nicholson's best sound bites in any film ever, bar none.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
