The Jacket

The Jacket hat eine interessante Idee, er lockt das Publikum mit Namen von guten Schauspieler*innen und verspricht ein Erlebnis aus der "höheren Filmliga". Ich gebe ihm drei leicht überdurchschnittliche Sterne, und zwar vor allem für die Schauspielleistungen. Brody wurde für solche Rollen geboren. Keira Knightley und Kris Kristofferson sind auch sehr überzeugend. Alle Schauspieler*innen hat aber (meiner Meinung nach) Daniel Craig in den Schatten gestellt. Auf einem relativ kleinen Raum hat er das gezeigt, was man eine perfekte Verwandlung nennt. Er ist (nicht nur wegen der schwarzen Haare) kaum zu erkennen und man merkt, dass er seine Rolle genossen hat. Was die Geschichte betrifft, da hat mich The Jacket enttäuscht. Es haben Wendungen gefehlt, welche die Geschichte interessanter gemacht hätten. Außerdem war sie – bis auf ein paar Szenen – kaum dramatisch und überraschend. Das finde ich sehr schade, am Anfang sah sie vielversprechender aus. So erfährt man eigentlich in der Mitte des Films von dem Haupthelden, wie alles enden wird… Dann wartet man nur, um festzustellen, dass er Recht hatte. (27.10.2010)

Interesting. This film had everything for me to like it more, but it didn’t happen. The premise is attractive, the performances are good and the atmosphere is decent, and yet, The Jacket only flowed around me as if by the way. The script is to blame, it fails to use the premise in an original way, like the script of other films about travelling to the future, and it left me with the impression that it didn’t know where it was going. The Jacket is still above average, but in such as sterile and unremarkable way that I find it less interesting that a lot of (below) average films. (27.08.2009)

The Jacket is a film that should be appreciated for its interesting subject and cast, but the final execution disappointed me, especially in contrast to the very decent rating on FilmBooster. Unfortunately, my expectations were higher than what I watched. The plot seemed too chaotic to me, which was due to both the script and the direction, and there were logical inconsistencies in it. However, some moments certainly had a great atmosphere. In several cases, the crazy editing bothered me as well. Overall impression: 45%. (20.01.2009)

The Jacket certainly wanted to offer a lot: the cruelty of a mental institution, time travel, and a strange romance. All this promised an atmospherically unpleasant spectacle, which director John Maybury more or less succeeds in doing. Partially combining the content of Forman's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and the taut visual form of Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream, it presents a raw spectacle that surprisingly doesn't feel like it was stolen from somewhere. The division of two time periods is done forcefully but non-intrusively, only with the help of camera stabilization and especially Keira Knightley's presence, who finally showcases an acting performance that surpasses even her physical attractiveness, because on a lady who "cools off" every puff of a cigarette with a good sip of rich liquid, there's not a lot to look at. Adrien Brody's radical weight loss is a testament to his efforts to get into the role properly, which he does very well. However, out of the whole collection of (semi)lunatics, Daniel Craig stands out the most, as he managed to instantly captivate all the attention despite having a smaller role. It took me a long time to decide how to evaluate The Jacket. My final decision to give it three stars is not so much an expression of a "happy medium" as it is a reasonable assessment of a film that, while offering a lot, ultimately delivers nothing anyway. (04.08.2005)

A low-key picture with an intelligent screenplay, marvelous editing, good actors and an ending that does considerable damage to the structure so carefully built. Any other ending would have fitted better than the one that the makers used in the end. Even a fade-out would have made me happier than this. Of the considerably erratic acting performances by Adrien Brody, this role and his part in Summer of Sam are the very pinnacle of his promisingly advancing career. Too bad that he had to spoil these two outstanding performances with what he gets up to in The Village. A very pleasant movie surprise. (04.02.2007)