00s Movie Review - The Pledge

Director: Sean Penn
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Mystery
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2001
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Robin Wright, Aaron Eckhart, Sam Shepard, Benicio del Toro, Patricia Clarkson, Helen Mirren, Tom Noonan, Vanessa Redgrave, Mickey Rourke, Harry Dean Stanton

Description: A retired police detective (Jack Nicholson) pledges to catch the killer of a young child.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 8: A MOVIE DIRECTED BY AN ACTOR
 
Review: On a cold winter day, a boy stumbles upon the lifeless body of an eight-year-old girl. Soon they find a suspect for the murder, but for recently retired homicide detective Jerry Black the case isn’t settles. As far as he is concerned, the real killer is still out there. He promises the victim’s family to find the killer of their little girl and to fulfull this promise, Jerry is willing to use any means necessary.  

Sean Penn is not just an amazing actor, he is also an excellent director. He proves that with “The Pledge” a lesser known film starring Jack Nicholson.

At first sight, “The Pledge” seems like a standard thriller. But it has much more to offer than the clichéd whodunit. In fact, finding the killer is not so much the main focus; the film clearly addresses more important, more profound themes. Therefore, do not expect spectacular action scenes, as the somewhat slow film has to rely mainly on its dialogues, well-developed characters and tension.   

This all makes the intelligent “The Pledge” highly recommended for those who want to see a less conventional thriller for a change.

Rating: 4/ 5