The Jacket

Interesting. This film had everything for me to like it more, but it didn’t happen. The premise is attractive, the performances are good and the atmosphere is decent, and yet, The Jacket only flowed around me as if by the way. The script is to blame, it fails to use the premise in an original way, like the script of other films about travelling to the future, and it left me with the impression that it didn’t know where it was going. The Jacket is still above average, but in such as sterile and unremarkable way that I find it less interesting that a lot of (below) average films. (27/08/2009)

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)

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)

The director focused on individual details, but he couldn't perfectly piece together the whole. Technically, the film is brilliant. You can feel the rawness in the image (toning and filters) and there is not much sentimentality. However, several of the themes do not fit together completely in the end and you cannot help but feel that maybe you were expecting something more. The ethereal and very subdued music surprisingly has a strong effect and completes the already very oppressive atmosphere full of fear and loneliness. (10/12/2005)

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)

I have very mixed feelings. This film has a great premise, a rather depressing atmosphere, a phenomenal Brody and a lovely Knightley, but I still felt that a lot more could have been made out of it, that the script could have been a bit bolder at times, and that the symbiosis of all that mystery with the weak climax was as effective as shooting arrows to the air. I was very curious, but The Jacket is just another of the many time travel movies that differs significantly only in that it cleverly hides behind the alluring mask of a mental institution. Any comparison with 12 Monkeys is out of the question... 65% (17/12/2012)

I like strange films and "The Pianist" reminded me a lot of the movie "Jacob's Ladder", which left a strong impression on me. "The Pianist" also attempted something similar, which ultimately succeeded, although I must say that my evaluation ultimately seems a bit exaggerated. But I liked the film. The romantic aspect is highlighted mainly by the performance of the two main actors - Adrien Brody and Keira Knightley -, and together they work really well, regardless of what opinion you may have about either of them. A big positive is the fact that the film is simply strange. The character played by Adrien Brody dies, but we still experience his fate. Some in the present, some in the past, some in the future. The time dimension is very difficult to grasp and it cannot be precisely explained why and how different times intertwine. Is the mental institution a time machine? Or does the patient himself reach a state where he is able to travel into another body in a different time? I think in this regard the film is quite interesting and I must say that I enjoyed it. It won't please everyone, it's just strange, but when you come to terms with its logic, it's an interesting romantic film where goodness can triumph over evil, or at least overcome it and keep living. The film is not a major contribution to world cinema, but I think it can captivate for a while. It succeeded with me, although what got to me the most was the romantic aspect, which is not terribly cheesy, but very bearable. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/11/prada-tlumocnice-sveraci-kazajka.html (02/03/2013)