the man

i bet if i asked everyone i know what they think of jack nicholson they'd all agree. i can't define it but that 'je ne sais quoi' is written all over this actor. back when he was a skinny thing with straight hair falling over his forehead he was the quintessential firecracker full of unpredictability.
in 1970 he made a great film with other great actors. 'five easy pieces' may be going down in history for the classic restaurant scene but there is much more to commend it than that awesome display of one man's insistence on being real in the face of the establishment.
this is a story of a talented and educated soul dropping off the radar to discover life. working as a laborer by day and coming home to a sincere but unaware girlfriend had to be his idea of a rite of passage. karen black is beyond awesome as the woman who loves him no matter what. every word she says both purrs and drives you nuts. she is great.
the legendary lois smith, susan anspach, and so many others give wonderful performances. as jack's 'bobby' makes that dreaded pilgrimage back home you know a big dose of reality is waiting up ahead. when he at last spends time alone with his father you will cry. it's scenes like that which make jack the guy.