Jeremy Thomas:

Film noir is like many card games out there--easy to learn, difficult to master. It's not at all tough to understand the elements, such as the low-key lighting, the morally grey characters and so on but to truly make a great noir film requires so much more than assembling the cookie-cutter pieces due in part to the murky definition of the genre (if it is even a genre at all). For those who want to see how to do a film noir right, Chinatown should be one of the top ten films on their list. Robert Towne and Roman Polanski put together one of the most enduring examples of the genre--and easily the best neo-noir movie--committed to film. Jack Nicholson anchors the film with a one of his best performances in a storied career, while he gets exceptional support from Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Roy Jenson, Perry Lopez and Diane Ladd, among others. Towne's script is evocative of the 1930s Los Angeles, reminding us that the behemoth city used to be a small city in a big desert before it blew up into what it is today, and the tale of corruption--amongst murder, incest and more, the true crime is water rights and real estate--is well-written and well-paced. Polanski shoots the film in such a way that it seems like an old-school potboiler but still carries a marquee sensibility about it. He knows how to build tension, how to display the subtlety of characterization in a film that could be full of single-dimension archetypes and that lets this movie transcend the line between a very good film and a great one. Chinatown is one of the few neo-noirs that successfully seems like the noirs of the 30s and 40s, and perhaps there is no better compliment than that.

SyfyFreak:

"Chinatown" is a Roman Pulaski film about the water conditions in Los Angeles before irrigation of the San Fernando Valley in 1937. The movie was a smash hit and a career enhancer for all involved receiving 11 Oscar Nominations but only gained one being up against the "Godfather: Part II" that year. It is the story about the lengths that the people in L.A. will go to, even now, to keep the water running into their little desert turned oasis by robbing Nevada and Arizona's water shares. Jack Nicholson plays a private eye named J.J. "Jake" Gitte who is hired to spy on Hollis Mulwray who is the wife of the chief engineer for the city's water department. Of course, Jake stumbles on to all the high-ended corrupt politics and politicians that go along with water rights and stimulus plans and runs into trouble with everyone. One of my favorite scenes is when the Jake gets the left side of his nose cut off for stickin his nose where it does not belong. This is a very good movie. Sun. 93-01-09

Patrick:

Everything, from the acting, to the sets, to the plot, and even the music was spot on in this film. Nicholson's acting was wonderful, and even the supporting cast did a very good job. I was struck by how much Los Angeles seemed like a small town; but then I realized that even in the 1930s it really wasn't a bustling metropolis. In short, a very solid movie that deserves a rental.

Firewater:

I like CHINATOWN, even if I don't salivate over it the way many critics do. It is the performance of Jack Nicholson as private detective J.J. Gittes that elevates this film to something on the order of art. Otherwise, while keeping with the tradition emboldened by Chandler and Macdonald, this would simply have been a slow, convoluted and twisted mystery story. Nicholson demands your attention, spending most of the movie with a bandage covering his nose. Would Tom Cruise allow his face to be covered like this? I think not. Although this is a period piece set in 1930s Los Angeles, it reflects the 1970s sensibilities, when most were waking up to the corruption inherent in our political system. If you're a cynic you'll like this one.

xzr 99262:

i would just like to say that this is an amazing movie and a classic that should be seen by all. people like "KC 1188583" who have nothing better to do than give ALL of polanski's films 1 star and leave hate mongering comments need to get a life. you state that Roman Polanski is a convicted pedophile and in turn by watching his films i support pedophilia. By that completely unintelligent and uninformed logic you would in turn support rape and murder because you rent horror films(i hope the irony is not lost on you). Like im sure your mother told you if you have nothing intelligent to say dont comment at all and save your banal sophomoric rants for love letters to whatever TV evangelist you subscribe too.

StandardModel:

This movie is as good as it gets. It's a model for how the suspense mystery genre should be done and oh so few are. There's nothing else to say. It's the best. Get it. The only caveat is that you won't be satisfied with any of your other movies after this one.

SuperShortReview:

Even though it takes its time getting started, this is a pretty good film noir, especially Nicholson's performance, which is from that time before his every role became a caricature.