brucetwo-2 Not much of a sequel to CHINATOWN. Same writer--Robert Towne. But what's missing?--Well first of all, a plot! And a mystery! And some kind of revelation. It's a real mush-mash, looking like no one was really in charge of the movie. It's troubled production history--with personnel changes, etc. might have something to do with that. The movie--as a story or drama--just kind of stumbles along. With no real momentum or any recognizable tone or style.(Like the slapstick explosion early in the film--what was that?--an homage to Charlie Chaplin??)Of course, what's REALLY missing from this film--the TWO JAKES--is Roman Polanski.He knew what he was doing in CHINATOWN and told an intriguing and relevant story, with many memorable scenes that still stay with me years and years later. What stays with me from the TWO JAKES is just a sad feeling of disappointment. Nothing much else. A waste!

lastliberal OK, this isn't Chinatown, but it still stars Jack Nicholson, and he is still the most interesting private eye I know.The characters supporting him were also interesting. Harvey Keitel (Bugsy, From Dusk Till Dawn, Bad Lieutenant), Meg Tilly (Agnes of God, Psycho II), Madeleine Stowe (The General's Daughter, Twelve Monkeys), Eli Wallach (Baby Doll), David Keith (An Officer and a Gentleman), and Rubén Blades (Once Upon a Time in Mexico).Just like the first film, the obvious is not the story. As Jake keeps digging, he finds what is really going on.Good period piece with some fine acting and a super selection of songs to accompany the action.

nomoons11 ...of course i don't mean Jack Nicholson, he brings his A game to just about everything he does. This one was rather dull IMO. It just didn't have any pop. The story throughout just didn't have any wow moments like Chinatown did.Now for the miscasting. Harvey Keitel's tough guy persona just didn't work in this one. Richard Farnsworth was odd as a choice for the demon oil man and to round it out, If Meg Tilly wasn't miscast, then the casting agent was either sick that day, deaf or dead on blind. She's never been one to hit the Hollywood signs for popularity or bring in the crowds so for her to be in this was just a last minute choice or a bad choice.A little about this being too long. For something to carry on for 2 hrs and 37 minutes and slowly dribble out bits and pieces with bad casting and and average screenplay(watch for a few brief, has nothing to do with scenes with the PI's supposed wife. Didn't belong in the movie), I was just waiting for the end to say I actually finished it.I recommend anyone who's seen Chinatown to finish it off and watch this but if you haven't and aren't planning on seeing it, you aren't missing anything by skipping this one .BTW...is it me or could anyone else see Nicholson having a recurring character as a PI in some movies nowadays? He hasn't had a hit in a while, he could do more of these as his character in this. I could see it working.

Framescourer It comes as no surprise to learn that this follow-up to Chinatown was ravaged by all manner of funding and directorial crises. It appears to be a film that is limping, carried to it's conclusion on the shoulders of one or two people. Nicholson is one of these St Christophers of the big screen but he needs more help than this. The film's story is extremely difficult to follow, an unmodulated trickle of obfuscated cause and effect and voice-over. Because Nicholson is directing there's none of the objectivity that gives a rocking tension between episodes and characters - we feel further isolated from the story, entirely dependent on a single perspective. The acting is reasonable but doesn't really make much of an impact: Keitel as the other Jake and Meg Tilly as his wife are the choicest. This film's greatest triumph is in demonstrating just what a good film Chinatown really is. 3/10