"Five Easy Pieces" (1970) is a well-known drama about Robert Dupea (Jack Nicholson) who leaves behind his high society upbringing in preference to being a drifter, working on oil fields and so on. When he catches word of his dad's recent illness he drives up to Washington, reluctantly with his bimbo girlfriend, Rayette (Karen Black). While there he has a fling with his brother's babe (Susan Anspach).
Although the story is somewhat meandering and contains a few less-than-noble characters, this is a well-done character study of a confused soul who doesn't know what he wants. He sees the pomposity, illusion and pressure that goes with upper-class culture and seeks liberation in the more common, which doesn't wholly inspire him. He has temper tantrums, cheats on his girlfriend, and is basically a problem waiting to happen, although he's not entirely without respectable or likable qualities.
I think the film struck a chord at the time because Robert's plight in the story represented the dilemma of many people after the counter-culture revolution of the 60s. As a society, we threw off the restraints of conventional morality and education to basically have a wild party. But what do you do when the party's over and you're hung over?
The chicken salad scene is infamous and there are quite a few other memorable scenes, like the ultra-cynical hitchhiker with her female pal (Toni Basil). Some characters are intentionally over-the-top, like the overbearing wannabe intellectual at the Dupea residence, but this was done to be amusing. Despite the exaggerations, the characters ring true.
If you like Susan Anspach here be sure to check her out in 1988's "The Legend of Wolf Lodge" (aka "Into the Fire") where she plays a scary housewife who thinks she's hotter than she actually is (see my review), which isn't to say that Susan's not attractive as Catherine in this movie because she definitely is. She has a unique look and intriguing personality. Too bad she shows signs of being a trollop but, then again, it was 1970 and, besides, she felt guilty about her behavior.
Someone said "Five Easy Pieces" is a film you'll enjoy more as you get older and that's the case with me. The first couple of times I viewed it I found it mildly absorbing but was ultimately unimpressed. I didn't get the hype. I saw it for the third time last night and felt it was much better than I remembered. You'll appreciate it more too if you're fairly mature, don't have ADHD, and you understand that it's not a conventional drama with typical contrivances and a charming protagonist. Rather, it's a slice-of-life drama focusing on a confused and sometimes childish individual who isn't always likable. It's equal parts fascinating, insightful, amusing, meandering and pointless.
The film runs 98 minutes and was shot in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Illinois.
GRADE: B+
Although the story is somewhat meandering and contains a few less-than-noble characters, this is a well-done character study of a confused soul who doesn't know what he wants. He sees the pomposity, illusion and pressure that goes with upper-class culture and seeks liberation in the more common, which doesn't wholly inspire him. He has temper tantrums, cheats on his girlfriend, and is basically a problem waiting to happen, although he's not entirely without respectable or likable qualities.
I think the film struck a chord at the time because Robert's plight in the story represented the dilemma of many people after the counter-culture revolution of the 60s. As a society, we threw off the restraints of conventional morality and education to basically have a wild party. But what do you do when the party's over and you're hung over?
The chicken salad scene is infamous and there are quite a few other memorable scenes, like the ultra-cynical hitchhiker with her female pal (Toni Basil). Some characters are intentionally over-the-top, like the overbearing wannabe intellectual at the Dupea residence, but this was done to be amusing. Despite the exaggerations, the characters ring true.
If you like Susan Anspach here be sure to check her out in 1988's "The Legend of Wolf Lodge" (aka "Into the Fire") where she plays a scary housewife who thinks she's hotter than she actually is (see my review), which isn't to say that Susan's not attractive as Catherine in this movie because she definitely is. She has a unique look and intriguing personality. Too bad she shows signs of being a trollop but, then again, it was 1970 and, besides, she felt guilty about her behavior.
Someone said "Five Easy Pieces" is a film you'll enjoy more as you get older and that's the case with me. The first couple of times I viewed it I found it mildly absorbing but was ultimately unimpressed. I didn't get the hype. I saw it for the third time last night and felt it was much better than I remembered. You'll appreciate it more too if you're fairly mature, don't have ADHD, and you understand that it's not a conventional drama with typical contrivances and a charming protagonist. Rather, it's a slice-of-life drama focusing on a confused and sometimes childish individual who isn't always likable. It's equal parts fascinating, insightful, amusing, meandering and pointless.
The film runs 98 minutes and was shot in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Illinois.
GRADE: B+