One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Rating: 4/5

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; a prime example of what happens when a movie has been so highly praised to you by others that you go into it with wildly unrealistic expectations, are thrown off by those expectations not being fully met, and knowing you absolutely must watch it again to truly absorb the greatness you missed the first time around.

To set the record straight, it may sound bizarre, but I know this movie is better than what I have it rated as. I know that I have clearly missed something upon my first viewing of it. Before watching One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, I had discussed my Academy Award Best Picture watch through with quite a few people, and many of them kept bringing up One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and how it was an unbelievably phenomenal movie, how vile Nurse Ratched was, and how it was one of their favorite films of all time. I sat down to watch this movie with all of these opinions floating around in my head, and I think they somewhat clouded my ability to really take in Cuckoo's Nest with an open mind. They set the bar to an unattainable level.

Now, with that all being said, as soon as I finished my Best Picture marathon, I created a list of movies I needed to give a second chance, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest shot straight to the top. Even with all of those wild pre-viewing expectations, I couldn't watch this movie and not see and appreciate the stellar performances given by the cast, of course Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher being the ones to stick out the strongest. Their characters are wild contrasts of one another, and to see Nicholson's crazed demeanor have to ricochet off of Fletcher's quiet, but devilishly commanding presence, is without a doubt one of the best on screen pairings in existence.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; a movie I didn't appreciate as much as I know I should have and one I look forward to giving it the second chance it so rightly deserves.

1976 Best Picture Winner - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

1976 Best Actor in a Leading Role Winner - Jack Nicholson

1976 Best Actress in a Leading Role Winner - Louise Fletcher

1976 Best Director Winner - Milos Forman

1976 Best Writing, Screenplay Adapted From Other Material Winners - Lawrence Hauben & Bo Goldman