[Sculpt]

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
10/10

After hearing Republican presidential candidate Viveck Ramaswamy talk about bringing mental institutions back to the US, I decided to re-watch One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Film is based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey. Along with putting the term Nurse Ratched into the American lexicon, it's said to have been very influential in getting mental institutions closed. Many critics in the US and Europe pointed out one of the troubling issues is how people act in these power dynamics. The film definitely highlights this.

The film stars Jack Nicholson as a multi-convicted criminal who may be faking insanity in order to be placed in a mental institution that he feels is a better option than the prison labor camp.

The dialogue is very rich with the characters' real-life issues. And the insight into the wide range of mental disorders makes one wonder if the writer was in an institution. Indeed, Kesey worked part-time as an attendant in a mental ward. Certainly, the research feels extensive. The visceral direction and expert acting make one feel they are really in an institution.

It's not a pleasant experience. And one shouldn't want it any other way. The Nicholson character is certainly an anti-hero; and cast of characters leads one to determine everyone has psychosis on display. The film is not without hope, which does emerge throughout the film.