2/15/2001
The Pledge stars Jack Nicholson, Benicio Del Toro, Dale Dickey, Aaron Eckhart, Helen Mirren, Tom Noonan, Adrien Dorval, Robin Wright, Vanessa Redgrave, Mickey Rourke, Sam Shepard, Lois Smith, Patricia Clarkson, Harry Dean Stanton, Pauline Roberts.
The Pledge is a film that stars a lot of big stars in cameo roles. The main charcater, played by Jack Nicholson is the only character we really get to know. As always Jack Nicholson is great in the role. However, Sean Penn as the director seems to have created a masturbatory film that leaves the viewer cold. We're given a lot of still life, landscapes, lakes with small fishing boat in center, etc. It's as if Sean Penn decided to take some famous paintings in a museum and reproduce them on screen. For what purpose?
Well, to the plot. Yes, there is one and it is not bad. On the evening of his retirement, Detective Jerry Black, (Jack Nicholson), sees his fellow officers called to a homicide. He wants to go along. Of course, they let him. There he sees the result of a grizzly murder and sexual assault on an eight year old girl in a red dress. Since, no one has told the parents, Detective Jerry Black goes to the parents turkey farm and gives them the bad news. There the victim's mother makes Detective Jerry Black promise to find her daughter's killer. Reluctantly, he agrees.
After a little sleuthing, he develops the theory that this is a serial killer who preys on young, blonde, girls in red dresses. Of course, his police buddies, pooh-hoo his ideas and insist they have caught the killer. Who, by the way, kills himself. Case closed!
Detective Jerry Black is retired and makes an offer to buy a Mom & Pop gas station in the triangle of where he believes the killer operates. Patiently, he goes about his business, while ever present in his mind is the apprehension of the serial killer.
The Pledge is slow moving full of symbolism and extras with physical and mental disabilities. I certainly don't understand the message. The only thing missing in this film is Sally Fields.
I give it 1 out of 5 hedgehogs: