(Review originally written at 5 September 2006)
It's a shame this movie never really got the recognition it deserved. For "The Jacket" is a good and original and creatively put together movie, even though the story reminds of numerous other well known genre classics.
"The Jacket" is a well made and good looking thriller that has some nice twists in it. The movie mostly leaves you guessing till the end and the movie has some well handled psychological-thriller elements. It's too bad the movie was poorly and wrongfully advertised, for "The Jacket" really is a movie that deserves to be seen and better known, all over the world.
The movie is well- and creatively directed by John Maybury, who normally only makes short movies. Some of the sequences are really great and beautiful looking. Although this movie also makes it's obvious that Maybury will probably never reach the level of true brilliance, he still shows he has a great style to make some more good looking and interesting movies with. It's mostly the story and storytelling that makes this movie still a rather flawed one.
The story is complex and features time-traveling. In the end the movie probably will still leave more questions than answers but the story is not as philosophical or thought-provoking as it might sound. The movie for most part remains never more than just a 'normal' thriller, a well made and good thriller I would like to add but all in all nothing too remarkable or memorable in the end-, as it perhaps could had been with a different and more thought out approach.
Adrien Brody gives an overall good performance, even though his character is far from well handled- or made out to look as interesting as possible. It takes a well to get accustomed to Keira Knightley's heavy American accent but once you get used to it you should be able to enjoy Knightley's fine acting. Really well cast were Kris Kristofferson and Jennifer Jason Leigh, who gave both a more than great performance. The movie further more features well known and established actors such as Daniel Craig and Brad Renfro in some small roles.
The movie good looking with some nice nice looking settings and cinematography. It's creatively molded and put together all by John Maybury, who delivers with this movie a good and creative thriller that in the end would perhaps not leave a terribly huge lasting impression but its a perfect quality movie to kill some time with.
7/10
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