Jack Nicholson: 10 Unpopular Opinions About His Movies, According To Reddit

Jack Nicholson is one of the most celebrated actors in history. Since the 1960s, he has been lighting up the silver screen with his trailblazing performances and has been in some of the most successful films in history.

Despite his status as a screen legend, some fans are divided over his greatest films and discussion abounds. Users on Reddit love to share their controversial opinions about his work, even if many other viewers completely disagree with their assessments.

10. Mars Attacks (1996) Is Boring And Unfunny

Though Nicholson had made a name for himself by starring in some of the screen’s greatest dramas, he’s also adept at comedy. Tim Burton’s sci-fi spoof film, Mars Attacks, was a somewhat divisive film upon its release, with critics split. Reddit user Tripleshotlatte posted, “I was pretty disappointed. It was nowhere near as funny as the trailer made it out to be. It was kind of boring and unfunny.”

While comedy is certainly subjective, Mars Attacks has garnered a large fan base since its release. It cleaned up at the box office when it was released and although it didn’t receive the most positive critical response, it has lived on as a cult classic.

9. Five Easy Pieces (1970) Was Typical And Bland

One of the things that set Jack Nicholson’s career apart from other actors was that he was at the forefront of the American New Wave film movement. His films such as Five Easy Pieces are well regarded because they helped to change the way that film was made in the United States. However, Reddit user shortstuff444 wrote, “Jack was good, but overall thought it was typical prodigal son story. Bland.”

It is easy to look back at a film from 1970 and judge it based on what has come since. But Five Easy Pieces was a landmark film and certainly inspired dozens of films that attempted to capture the same magic.

8. Jack Was Miscast In The Departed (2006)

Martin Scorsese’s blockbuster film, The Departed, was a return to form, and saw him working within the crime film genre once again. His films are noted for their large cast, long-running time, and clever writing, and fans often have certain expectations when going into one of his films. Unfortunately, the film wasn’t for everyone and Redditor somerton wrote, “I’m not a fan of the film – to me, it’s generally silly, bloated, Nicholson is totally miscast, etc.”

Many fans would disagree about several of these points, but Nicholson’s casting was a particular sticking point. Nicholson’s performance was warmly received by critics and viewers alike and was seen as a renaissance for the aging actor.

7. Wolf (1994) Was Actually Good

When an actor works for as long as Nicholson has, there are bound to be a few less-favored movies. Though he has largely avoided being in bad films, a few of his works missed the mark. The horror thriller Wolf was a perfect example of a film of Nicholson’s that didn’t live up to fan expectations. Despite this, user Worelynn said, “I love the way the dialogue was written for it…which was fun because Nicholson’s character is an editor for a book publishing company…A wonderful movie.”

Though the film wasn’t terrible, it didn’t impress many fans or critics and came off as sort of strange. Though other films have garnered cult followings after their initial release, it is clear that Wolf hasn’t had the same spike in popularity.

6. Easy Rider (1969) Wasn’t That Great

Few films have been as culturally significant in 1960s American cinema as Easy Rider. The film is a touchstone that summed up the experience of an entire generation. Despite this, some viewers were not as moved by the film as others and failed to see why fans loved it. Reddit user t-why wrote about the film, “I really liked Jack’s short performance but I didn’t find the plot, in general, to be too captivating…it could have used more in the story department.”

Some film viewers expect certain story structures from the films that they watch and can be disappointed when movies experiment with narrative. Easy Rider was certainly an example of an experimental narrative which was one of the reasons it was so important for the time.

5. Not Satisfied By The Ending Of Chinatown (1974)

Many of the films Jack Nicholson starred in featured challenging themes and were quite dark for their time. Chinatown was a perfect example of the types of films that would exemplify Nicholson’s work through the 1970s. Despite that, some viewers were put off and user imperfectsarcasm wrote, “I just don’t find Chinatown’s ending satisfying in any way. Not that I’m against movies with darker endings but there has to be a point to it”.

The ending of the film is a shocking, dark twist and because of the subject matter, many viewers leave the film sad and disgusted. That was the intention of the film and it was in line with the themes established throughout the story.

4. Too Much Jack In As Good As It Gets (1997)

Jack Nicholson is known for embodying roles and bringing his own flair to his parts. As Good As It Gets gave Jack the opportunity to play a more realistic character with features that mirrored his personality. An unknown Reddit user was unhappy with the film and wrote, “There’s a moment where Nicholson stops being Melvyn and becomes ‘Jack Nicholson.’ When it becomes just a regular rom-com, it gets a little out of key for me.”

Melvyn’s arc in the film gives him a chance to grow and change as a person. He starts out as an unlikeable pessimist who pushes everyone away, however, he becomes more personable as the film goes on. It is often difficult to separate an actor from their parts and that shows the power of Nicholson’s performances.

3. There’s No Arc In One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was one of the defining films of Nicholson’s career and his portrayal of Randall McMurphy is legendary. The film offered subtle commentary on the state of the world and less-than-subtle commentary on mental health facilities. But Redditor Hearbinger disagreed with most when writing, “I don’t think McMurphy’s story is very good…I don’t think there’s much of a journey being depicted in there.”

Sometimes, viewers can miss out on the subtleties of a story when they are looking at the big picture. The point of the film wasn’t to show growth in McMurphy’s character, instead, it is about what institutionalization does to him.

2. Batman (1989) Is Dated

Before they were literally everywhere, superhero movies were a rare treat for moviegoers. Tim Burton’s ambitious adaption of Batman is often regarded as one of the best comic book movies of all time and its stylized nature made it unique. Despite this, Reddit user DrBodyguard wrote, “It’s not as good as people make it out to be. It’s aged terribly in my opinion.”

Part of the film’s style is that it exists in a world that is a cross between the art-deco design of the ’30s and the flashy neon of the ’80s. Many fans see that the film has aged well because it isn’t really rooted in any time period at all.

1. Jack Was A Let Down In The Shining (1980)

His role in The Shinning proved that Jack could do it all. The film is a nightmarish descent into madness and Nicholson shines throughout. Despite this, Reddit user JohnLocke815 said, “I think its biggest let down is casting Jack ‘I’m always the bad or crazy guy’ Nicholson and we got no transition.”

Though Nicholson’s career has been somewhat defined by The Shining, it was far from typical of his usual roles. Nicholson has played a wide array of different characters, from romantic leads to the president of the United States and everything in between. He is exceptionally good at playing bad guys, but they weren’t the only parts he played.