24 years ago, everyone missed this movie! Still, it’s “one of Jack Nicholson’s best roles”

24 years ago, Sean Penn gave us his third feature film as a director: The Pledge. After Crossing Guard, the artist again collaborated with Jack Nicholson and offered him the role of an elderly policeman who was tender and strong.

The thriller has unfairly gone under the radar

The actor plays the role of Inspector Jerry Black. On her retirement day, she makes one last stop in her office before making a daring appearance at a “surprise” party in her honor. Touched by the generosity of his colleagues, he happily accepts their gift of a plane ticket to fulfill his dream: to go fishing in Mexico.

In addition, the body of an 8-year-old girl was found half-buried in the snow in the mountains of Nevada. A seemingly gratuitous killing. Although his co-workers pressure him to end his career in the police force, Jerry is determined to investigate. How can such a crime go unpunished? He makes a solemn promise to the young victim’s mother to find the killer.

Shot on a budget of $35 million, The Pledge was unfortunately a bitter commercial failure, grossing only $29 million internationally. However, the feature film is considered one of Jack Nicholson’s best roles, as noted ColliderA quote from a particularly great film critic Roger Ebert.

Jack Nicholson in a different register

Indeed, The Pledge offers Jack Nicholson a different role than the one we are used to. From Chinatown through One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to The Shining and Batman, the actor has explored the darkest sides of the human soul. This time he played a more human character, down to earth and terribly melancholic.

“Nicholson could easily play characters who haunt us with their shocking depravity, but playing someone so deeply obsessed with his own inadequacy was a shift that made Jerry one of the most existentially terrifying characters he’s ever played.”Collider analysis.

Additionally, Jack Nicholson is supported by an excellent supporting cast of Robin Wright, Aaron Eckhart, Benicio Del Toro, Mickey Rourke, Helen Mirren and Sam Shepard. “Benicio del Toro and Mickey Rourke get one scene each, respectively, as the prime suspect and as the father of the murdered child, both of whom are a devastating one-two punch”The American media is delighted.

Note that The Pledge is adapted from a novel promise (Das Versprechen), written by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, published in 1958. The gruesome facts told at the beginning of the film are inspired by the real life experiences of Inspector Joe Depczynski; The latter worked as a film consultant.

If you want to see The Pledge and decide, the film is available on VOD, DVD and Blu-ray.