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Chinatown
User Score
9.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 59 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 59 out of 59
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 59
  3. Negative: 0 out of 59

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  1. grandpajoe6191
    Dec 26, 2011
    8
    I enjoyed Jack Nicholson's slow yet piercing performance as well as the cinematography, However what makes this one stand amongst other movies is Roman Polanski. His humor-full, danger-full, masterful direction hits the jack pot.
  2. camdenl
    Oct 9, 2005
    10
    The last stand of film noir.... in color.
    • 1 of 2 users said yes
  3. MikeN.
    Aug 9, 2003
    10
    Brilliant performances, brilliant screenplay, surprises, mystery and excitement. What more do you want?
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  4. Layne
    Aug 4, 2003
    8
    It's a shame that Hollywood can't make movies like this any more, because Chinatown is a wonderful film with superb directing and a brilliant performance by Jach Nicholson, who carries the movie effortlessly and is always a joy to watch. Not many actors alive today can succeed in doing just that.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  5. TimD.
    Aug 16, 2003
    10
    Perhaps the greatest movie ever made. It has it all. a great script, acting, direction, photography and a great music score. I could not ask for more in a movie.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  6. PatC.
    Jan 13, 2004
    6
    I watched this film twice 15 years apart. It went over my head both times. I see the consistent acclaim, which I usually understand for other films, but I'm clueless here. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it, but it didn't have one moment that startled me. It's got a certain Citizen Kane intelligence and artsy-fartsy feel to it, but nothing I can sink my teeth into. I guess I just have a provincial worldview and a brick for a brain. … Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  7. JonathanH.
    Apr 3, 2004
    10
    One of the all time greats.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  8. TonyS.
    Jun 13, 2004
    10
    Classic.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  9. Pauld.
    Jun 8, 2005
    10
    I saw this when I was young in 1974, and recently saw it again, and it was just as great the second time. Superb acting, script, and direction.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  10. glenns.
    Jul 17, 2005
    10
    Perhaps the best written screenplay of all time.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  11. DaveC.
    Jan 7, 2006
    10
    How Polanksi went from this to mediocrity like the Pianist I'll never know I can't pick fault with this film, a genius script and skillful direction blend seamlessly into one of the greatest films of the 70s. There has seldom been a film of such incredible depth.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  12. YoonC.
    Sep 14, 2003
    10
    One of Polanski's best, Chinatown is one of the best(and few) examples of revitalizing and expanding conventions of past Hollywood. Instead of a mere gushing homage to noir, Polanski explores the darker territories left untouched during more censorious times. The brooding climax is one of the most pessimistic and dark in cinema. Features Nicholson and Dunaway at their best. Great screenplay by Robert Towne, with brilliant alteration of ending supplied by Polanski.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  13. J.RyanG.
    May 27, 2005
    9
    My favorite era of filmmaking began around 1974. Until the mid-eighties, films moved slow, developed their characters, and cared about their story. This is one of the finest examples of such filmmaking. Compared with the likes of the overrated "L.A. Confidential," this film seems even greater than it is. But, thanks in large part to Jack Nicholson's finest performance and a surprisingly sinister John Huston cameo, "Chinatown" is fairly great.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  14. AlexP.
    Jan 14, 2006
    10
    A great movie even by todays standards with a great storyline, great acting and great camerawork.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  15. ERG1008
    Aug 19, 2010
    7
    Private Investigator, woman hires him to catch her cheating husband, husband's real wife turns up, husband drowns, corruption, twists & turns. Film noir with Jack Nicholson doing what he does best before he started grunting his way through films. It has a great atmosphere with it set in 1930s Los Angeles & helped by good dialogue, music & locations. Definitely an influence for later films with LA Confidential & Basic Instinct taking from this..… Expand
  16. jp992751
    Jan 18, 2011
    8
    One of my favorite Film Noir movies. Stylishly shot, beautifully acted, and intriguing to the last frame. Jack Nicholson shines in an early role (you can tell just by watching him that he was destined to be a star) but perhaps the unspoken star would have to be John Huston who portrays evil to a perfection. Unfortunately for Chinatown I have never been a big fan of the film noir genre so it it made it difficult to enjoy at times, yet as such it is still a fantastic movie.… Expand
  17. j30
    Jan 26, 2012
    10
    This neo-noir, old school movie rocks. The masterful Roman Polanski directs this powerhouse of a movie with Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway are at their best. I can't recommend this movie enough.
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 10 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    100
    A nearly flawless example of movie composition, with close examination revealing how carefully it was put together. For those who take a less studious and more visceral approach to movie viewing, it's also worth noting that Chinatown is a superior thriller - one that will keep viewers involved and "in the moment" until the final, mournful scene has come to a conclusion.
    Read full review
  2. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Gene Siskel
    63
    As much as I admire the work of both (Roman) Polanski and (Jack) Nicholson, I found Chinatown tedious from beginning to just before the end. [15 July 1974]
  3. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Don Druker
    80
    A bit abstract, though gorgeously shot (by John Alonzo) and cleverly plotted (by Robert Towne), Polanski's film suggests that the rules of the game are written in some strange, untranslatable language, and that everyone's an alien and, ultimately, a victim.
    Read full review
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