Five Easy Pieces is the first film to feature Jack Nicholson in the lead in what may be hist best role, a character study, and an American classic. Brought to the screen in 1970 by director Bob Rafelson, Five Easy Pieces tells the story of Robert Dupea (Jack) a young man going from job to job and currently working on an oil rig. Bobby likes to spend his time at bowling alleys and with his ditsy girlfriend Rayette (a wonderful Karen Black). Then, as the film progresses, we learn more about this intriguing, hard-nosed young man and realize that there is more than meets the eye. Through what I consider to be three different segments of the film, we come to understand who Robert Dupea is and why he has made some of the life choices he has made. Though, not all is explicitly apparent by the brave ending-an ending which you would probably never see the likes of in today's films. Five Easy Pieces is worth seeing for many reasons, be it for Jack Nicholson's wonderful performace, to witness a film that helped to usher in the daring filmmaking decade known as the 70s, or to just view a film that magnificently captures all human elements we expect from the great movies.
**** out of ****
