Following the death of his child, a mail carrier and ex-Vietnam Vet (Tim Robbins) with clear PTSD symptoms begins experiencing hallucinations and schizophrenic paranoia, and finds himself unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Adrian Lyne's Jacob's Ladder is nightmarish and exceptionally well-made, though confusing and even nonsensical, which is ultimately to the filmmakers' credit when considering how this material could have gone in other hands (Terry Gilliam comes foremost to mind). Robbins in exceptional in a fine early career role.
*** out of ****
