It's easy to sit back and look at serious, emotionally engaging dramas like The Pledge and cynically try to pick out the Oscar moment (admirably sent up in Wayne's World.) Yet Sean Penn's third outing as director side steps the risk of self-importance in two cunning ways. Firstly, every scene could stand alone as perfect example of screen acting. Secondly when boiled down to its essentials, the plot is like a throwaway B-movie cop out for revenge saga. It is merely the handling that is different. And it is the handling of Penn and lead Jack Nicholson that makes all the difference.
A girl is found murdered during Jerry Black's (Nicholson) retirement from the force party. Circumstances see him being the bearer of bad news to the victim's parents, yet in trying to ease the mother's pain he makes a promise that will consume him for the rest of the film. A pledge to catch the killer. When his former colleagues close the case, happy that a man they had in custody is guilty, Jerry follows his gut instinct on a downward spiral in his pursuit to catch the killer.
Whereas in your average thriller this would have lead to much chasing of cars, snarling down phones and kicking down doors, Penn masterfully gives an hour of reflection. We meet various people touched and tarnished by child murders. The horrifying coroner's photos we are shown are accompanied by all too human reactions to what for many of us is an unimaginable situation. While unpleasant, these images are not utilised gratuitously. The pace similarly moves gently like the well-marked changes of season. Penn revels in his restrained narratives. His killer takes a realistic amount of time to be exposed as Jerry desperately clings to clues from a child's arbitrary crayon drawing.
Nicholson lends the expected gravitas to his falling character, a man stuck in his own hell. In fact despite some plum roles over the 90's - Wolf, A Few Good Men - this is the first time in a long time you don't catch him playing 'Jack'. Instead we get a soulful, determined man who is often lost for words inside the cage he is creating for himself. Support comes from so many capable familiar faces that the opening credits read like a 'he could be the killer' supporting actor roll call. Penn as this keeps the tension rising during appearances from Harry Dean Stanton and Tom Noonan, minor characters yet fully rounded. No one has to resort to the stock in trade crazy ticks or sinister expressions.
A film rippling with such intelligent metaphors that even the obvious ones are powered by their consistency to plot and tone. This is probably Penn's least personal work. It is also his strongest. Around the bedrock of Nicholson's towering achievement he has made an actor's showcase that excites in the minute and drags the viewer into a different gear than most will be accustomed to. The film is all the better for its astute observations, lethargic pace and commitment to its characters.
Reviewed by Bob Carroll
Reader comments about The Pledge
CW (Email address withheld) writes:
An extraordinary achievement. Definitely Penn's best so far as a director. Both Robin Wright Penn and Nicholson were magnificent. And what a supporting cast! The only thing I found frustrating was the brevity of the appearances from Sam Shepard, Harry Dean Stanton (always the mark of a good film - yes, even Pretty In Pink) and Benicio Del Toro.
Irelevant (Email address withheld) writes:
Pardon my French, but this film is the biggest pile of shit, that I have ever had the misfortune to witness. Trust me, unless you're suffering from insomnia, you do not want to watch this film. It's like marmite, you either like it or you can't stand it.
confused (Email address withheld) writes:
will someone please just explain the end of this film?? was that the killer in the black car or what?
amanda lepre (amandalepre@yahoo.com) writes:
In my opinion the pledge is a good film i liked it alot. It doesn,t suck who ever said that he is an idiot. for me it is the best film i had ever seen. As a director sean penn he is magnificant keep going sean.
Moviegoer (Email address withheld) writes:
A friend of mine says that all art is disturbing. He means that if it doesn't unnerve the viewer, it isn't art. Well this film is certainly art. The child killer theme is not a happy one and the ending wasn't wrapped in a pretty bow. It was well acted and well directed, and it isn't typical Hollywood drivel.
Brian (with held.) writes:
An exelent piece of work by Sean Penn.
Best Drama Film I've seen, which dosn't
involve high seed cars or Violence.The ending leaves the him losing his partner and legacey as a good detective lost ( HOW IRONIC)
Ellie (Email address withheld) writes:
I like this film because it didn't wrap the end up in a pretty bow as Moviegoer says. In this way it was far more believable than many other 'catch the killer' type films.
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