The Pledge

As in Sean Penn's previous work, this is an actors' piece. Nicholson plays Jerry with restlessness under his easy-going, smiling calm; his patient fisherman's heart leaps at every nibble while he casts for a murder suspect. And Del Toro, Helen Mirren, Vanessa Redgrave, and Mickey Rourke make striking impressions in their single-scene appearances. Penn is less concerned with the mystery than the emotional turmoil and Jerry's state of mind, interrupting moments of calm with jagged cuts and discomforting images (including some especially disturbing crime scene photos). Jerry's instincts and methods are sound and his sensitivity is real--he takes in a battered single mom (Robin Wright Penn) and her little girl, and develops a rewarding family life--but his passion for justice turns to unhealthy, destructive obsession. That's ultimately what we're left with at the conclusion of this often off-putting but ultimately fascinating film. The truth will not always set you free. --Sean Axmaker

The movie is set supposedly in Reno and the surrounding Sierras, and the natural scenery that provides the stage for this drama is simply breath taking, and is worth the viewing experience for this experience alone. I was, however, disappointed to discover by viewing the end credits that the movie was largely shot in western Canada. Wherever it was filmed, the scenery provides a curious backdrop to the ugliness and sordidness of human beings, and how their own experiences and personalities blind them to the beauty in others around them. Each has been branded by the character and limitations of his or her own reservoir of emotional experiences, and each is consequently sent spinning toward a seemingly irrevocable tendency to make snap conclusions about complex realities as a result.

Thus Nicholson is caught in the dilemma of not only his own troubles, but in the easy answers others have in attributin ghis actions and behavior to other motives and problems. Thus Robin Wright Penn, Mickey Rourke, Sam Shepard, Vanessa Redgrave, Harry Dean Stanton and a number of notable others blithely (and sometimes painfully) slip past the rather remarkable qualities in Nicholson's character as well as in Wright Penn's memorable turn as a woman with battered background and a beautiful little girl who lights up the screen and who also just happens to exactly fit Nicholson's bogeyman serial killer's profile.

Thus, his motives for the subsequent involvement are confused at best, yet he seems to genuinely care for the new family he adopts along the way. With this, the stage is set for potential tragedy, and while I found the conclusion emotionally and dramatically unpleasing, it was admittedly indeed in the scope of the characters and circumstance to have it so ended. I recommend this, but also caution against letting one's impressionable children watch this. Like "Silence Of The Lambs" or "Seven", this is hardly juvenile entertainment. Enjoy!


Powerful and Thoughtful.......   June 15, 2001
Stewart Axelrad (San Antonio, Texas United States)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful

First, let me say that I consider Jack Nicholson to be one of most underrated actors of his generation. His performance in "The Pledge" is nothing short of remarkable, not so much in the way his speaks the dialogue, but in those moments when he has none, and reveals the mind of a deeply tormented man. Other reviews have discussed the plot, so I'll dispense with that, other than to say that this is a movie about redemption and a lost cause. The pledge referred to in the title is one that Nicholson cannot assuredly keep, and thus forfeits his "soul's salvation". The Nicholson character is basically a lonely, desperate man, who hangs his hopes on catching a serial killer, and by a twist of fate, fails in his mission. The supporting cast is excellent, Benecio Del Toro, Robin Wright Penn and even Vanessa Redgrave (one of the best performances in the film, although a brief one-scene cameo). Sean Penn's direction is superb, with the intercutting of nature scenes with the main plot (watch for the symbolic flock of birds throughout the film). This is not a film for those who desire neat, tied-up endings but ones which mirror the real and unresolved tragedies of life. Truly a haunting and poignant story, with excellent character studies all around.


Hyper-realism marred by a history of Hollywood.   January 5, 2004
OverTheMoon (overthemoonreview@hotmail.com)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Jack Nicholson. Sean Penn. Benicio Del Toro. These three names alone will bring mainstream viewers to this film; however 90% of them will be expecting Hollywood and 90% will walk away from this film because they have just watched something closer to art-house cinema than the A-list Hollywood affair that it promotes.

The Pledge is akin to watching something like Dead Man Walking minus the Hollywood plot devices or Spike Lee's Summer of Sam without the pace. It certainly is not like Silence of the Lambs, Seven or Psycho as some have been thinking. If your expectations are Hollywood, then forget it. You will only be disappointed. If you are looking for a serial killer film that moves in a more realistic fashion with non-mainstream plot elements then The Pledge will deliver.

There are a number of things that make this film different. Nicholson's character is more obsessive and paranoid but keeps his cool for the most part of this film. He also befriends a woman half his age and this is not your typical Hollywood bonding. The actual investigation of the serial killings is more or less played out in a very realistic way, often boring and never really seems to amount to much. The crime evidence is hard to obtain and the investigation leads are miniscule (as with most real-life cases). For this reason Nicholson's character is mostly trying to grasp at straws which leaves him on the ignore list at his former police department. In retirement he buys a filling station and tags cars that he believes could be connected with the crimes. The crimes themselves are brutal and VERY GRAPHIC. There are a number of scenes depicting child murders that are very disturbing.

The film's realism is what makes it so good. It is slow and often may seem boring, but this is daring and the director should be appreciated for not doing what WE HAVE SEEN A HUNDRED TIMES BEFORE. The fact is that most serial killer flicks are clichéd driven but here Penn takes us on a very different journey from a lot of different angles. In short, this film is much closer to a real-life hunt for a serial killer than any other mainstream Hollywood murder mystery flick.

The ending will annoy some, but personally I love it. I think that the ending is very suitable for the material at hand because in most cases serial killers, who are not caught, are either - dead/have gone insane/have been locked up for another unrelated crime. So this film really does play out the realism very well. I also like the fact that certain plot elements are left unknown to many of the characters. This is a very good character device and you do not see that done very often.

This is a very original movie that stays on rational ground. The scene where the cops decide to tell the parents of a dead girl what has happened is absolutely one of the most troubling things any human being can do and it is just done so well in this movie. I can not see how this film fails to engage anyone with a heart. This is a touching film - a touching journey into the darker crossings in life that some do go through.

This is a very good movie with some "reservations" for those who hate anything less than "mainstream" murder mysteries.


INTENSE!....   January 7, 2003
L. Shirley (fountain valley, ca United States)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

Bravo to Sean Penn for bringing us a psychological thriller that is both intellegent and unpredicatable.If I could only use one word to describe this film I would have to say INTENSE!

Jerry Black(Jack Nicholson) is about to retire from his duties as a homicide detective in Reno, Nevada. Nicholson's portrayal of this cop is so strong, that we can see what he is feeling and thinking by one raise of those famous eyebrows.Already we can see that he is regretting his retirement. Amidst the retirement party his fellow offficers are throwing for him, word comes of a horrible crime. A little local girl has been brutally assaulted and murdered. Jerry cannot help but to become involved with this case.He is the one who must tell the parents the devasting news, at which point he makes a solemn promise to the girl's mother, that he will not rest until this deranged killer is caught!

All evidence points to one suspect. The suspect confesses, and in a bizarre twist takes his own life. Jerry though has instincts that tell him this was not the murderer. He becomes obssessed with finding the true killer,he puts his life on hold and at the risk of alienating all his friends, devotes himself to the task. He also meets and falls for a woman who has a daughter around the age of the murder victim and becomes obssessed with protecting her as well.Jerry falls deeper and deeper into his own dark world, as the tension mounts.

Nicholson has given us many fine performances over the years to be treasured, this one though, to me, was his best character study since "Five Easy Pieces". Penn has done a brillant job behind the camera, and also has chosen a well seasoned cast to add to this fine film. It includes Benecio Del Toro, Aaron Eckhart, Helen Mirren, Mickey Rourke, Sam Shephard, Harry Dean Stanton, Vanessa Redgrave Lois Smith, and Robin Wright Penn.A brilliant screen play by Jerry and Mary Olsen-Kromolowski.
Add to that a haunting score by Hans Zimmer and Klaus Badelt and incredible camera work by Chris Menges, which takes in the snowy scapes in sharp contrast to the murder and you have a story you won't soon forget.

I would reccommend this film to anyone who has a taste for something out of the ordinary. It is not for the sensitive viewer though.

If you've seen the film already and know you like it, you can count on a good transfer by Warner Bros, to the DVD. It is a crisp and clear picture presented widescreen. Colors and sound(Dolby 5.1 surround) are outstanding as well.It may be viewed in French(also in the 5.1)and has subtitles in English and French(Dubbed in Quebec) as well.Other than a theatrical trailer you will not find much in the way of extras. But you might just want to start the movie over and watch it again.
Go for it...Laurie

also recommended:
Just Cause

Love Liza

Jack 3-Pack (A Few Good Men / Easy Rider / As Good as It Gets)