Film Overview"The Two Jakes" is a 1990 American crime thriller film follow up to the 1974 classic, "Chinatown". This neo-noir movie follows private investigator J.J "Jake" Gittes, played by Jack Nicholson, who likewise directed the movie. The film is embeded in the late 1940s, within the backdrop of the expanding suburban development in Los Angeles, with essential aspects like oil drilling and realty scandals integral to the plot.
Plot SummaryThe plot unfolds as property designer Jake Berman, depicted by Harvey Keitel, employs Gittes to spy on his wife, Kitty (Meg Tilly), whom he believes of extramarital relations with his business partner, Mark Bodine. The regular monitoring job takes a dark turn when Berman shoots and eliminates Bodine throughout a conflict, recorded on audio by Gittes.
Berman's defense is that it was a criminal offense of passion, a plea that does not require jail time due to the age's California law. Gittes senses that the circumstance might be a setup and digs deeper. He reveals a tangled plot involving land fraud, oil reserves, and Berman's ties to Gittes' previous including Evelyn Mulwray, Kitty's mother.
Character ProgressionOriginating from the haunting regret over Evelyn's death, Gittes finds that Kitty is actually Evelyn's daughter developed from her incestuous relationship with her father. From his establishing relationship with Kitty, Gittes takes it upon himself to fix his past errors by securing her. Alternatively, Jake Berman's character, though initially revealed as an understanding figure reeling from his other half's cheating, is uncovered to be manipulative and ruthless.
Connection to the Prequel"The Two Jakes" is linked to the prequel through the reappearance of essential characters and circumstances from "Chinatown". Nevertheless, the movie also stands individually by depicting the dramatic shifts in L.A.'s history with the development of highways and rural housing exploiting the oil reserves underneath. Nicholson's performance, laden with cynicism and resignation, brings the plot's favored tone echoing the modifications in times and circumstances.
Last ScenesIn the last act, Gittes reveals Berman's illegal activities, involving the purchase of low-cost, oil-rich land under dummy corporations. Berman's plan was to murder Bodine to inherit his share. On the other hand, Gittes confronts the ongoing darkness within his past in the form of Evelyn's child who has no understanding of her awful backstory, thereby providing him a chance at redemption.
As the truth unfurls, Berman is killed in a scuffle, and Gittes selects to protect Kitty from her dark familial past, offering her with closure and breaking away from his guilt-ridden past.
Critical Reception"The Two Jakes" received blended to positive reviews from critics. The plot's intricacy and Nicholson's masterful efficiency were properly noted and appreciated. Nevertheless, contrasts with the initial "Chinatown" led to some criticism. In spite of the varied evaluations, "The Two Jakes" holds a special place among the fans of neo-noir tales and stays a reprised symbol of unrestrained love, damaged dreams, and haunted pasts.
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