The Jacket

The Jacket is a film that should be appreciated for its interesting subject and cast, but the final execution disappointed me, especially in contrast to the very decent rating on FilmBooster. Unfortunately, my expectations were higher than what I watched. The plot seemed too chaotic to me, which was due to both the script and the direction, and there were logical inconsistencies in it. However, some moments certainly had a great atmosphere. In several cases, the crazy editing bothered me as well. Overall impression: 45%. (20/01/2009)

A quite unconventional film that will likely stick in my mind for a long time after watching. At first, I thought it might be a bunch of nonsense (and it’s not unusual to refrain from hasty conclusions after the line: "I was 27 when I first died"). I persevered through the film, and now I’m justifiably proud of my decision to stick with it. Adrien Brody completely owned the film, and his performances are excellent and credible. Overall, the cast adds some extra plus points to the film. Similar themes of potential changes in our future or the future of those around us are also addressed in The Butterfly Effect, but here the concept felt much better. I don’t know who came up with the idea of the straitjacket, but it was truly original in every way. Toward the end, the film did lose some momentum. However, the conclusion was well-crafted and nicely tied together. Quality mystery films are becoming increasingly rare these days, so I appreciate every thrilling and solid film in this genre. The Jacket earns 80% from me. (04/02/2017)

The Jacket has an interesting idea, it attracts the names of good actors and sort of promises an experience from that "higher film league". I give it three slightly above average stars, mostly for the acting. Brody was probably born for such roles, Keira Knightley and Kris Kristofferson are also very convincing, but all of them (in my opinion) were overshadowed by Daniel Craig. In a relatively small space, he showed what is called a perfect transformation, he is almost unrecognizable (not only thanks to his black hair) and he visibly enjoys the role. As far as the story is concerned, this is where The Jacket disappointed me. It lacked any twists that would have made it more interesting, it was hardly dramatic except for a few scenes, and it didn't surprise me with anything. That’s too bad, because it looked more promising. This is how you actually find out from the main character in the middle of the film how it all turns out... And then you're just waiting to find out he was right. (26/10/2010)

The Jacket certainly wanted to offer a lot: the cruelty of a mental institution, time travel, and a strange romance. All this promised an atmospherically unpleasant spectacle, which director John Maybury more or less succeeds in doing. Partially combining the content of Forman's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and the taut visual form of Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream, it presents a raw spectacle that surprisingly doesn't feel like it was stolen from somewhere. The division of two time periods is done forcefully but non-intrusively, only with the help of camera stabilization and especially Keira Knightley's presence, who finally showcases an acting performance that surpasses even her physical attractiveness, because on a lady who "cools off" every puff of a cigarette with a good sip of rich liquid, there's not a lot to look at. Adrien Brody's radical weight loss is a testament to his efforts to get into the role properly, which he does very well. However, out of the whole collection of (semi)lunatics, Daniel Craig stands out the most, as he managed to instantly captivate all the attention despite having a smaller role. It took me a long time to decide how to evaluate The Jacket. My final decision to give it three stars is not so much an expression of a "happy medium" as it is a reasonable assessment of a film that, while offering a lot, ultimately delivers nothing anyway. (04/08/2005)

A low-key picture with an intelligent screenplay, marvelous editing, good actors and an ending that does considerable damage to the structure so carefully built. Any other ending would have fitted better than the one that the makers used in the end. Even a fade-out would have made me happier than this. Of the considerably erratic acting performances by Adrien Brody, this role and his part in Summer of Sam are the very pinnacle of his promisingly advancing career. Too bad that he had to spoil these two outstanding performances with what he gets up to in The Village. A very pleasant movie surprise. (04/02/2007)