Robert Deniro Movie:

Editorial Review:
Based on the off-Broadway play Strange Snow, this chamber drama is essentially a three-hander between Robert De Niro, Kathy Baker, and Ed Harris. Harris is a Vietnam vet suffering the recurring effects of posttraumatic stress disorder. De Niro is an old army buddy who looks him up and helps him come to terms with the ugly memories he has of their days together in Vietnam and of a pal who didn't make it out alive. Baker plays Harris's sister, a schoolteacher and wallflower who blossoms under the attention of the rough-hewn De Niro. Harris and De Niro clash in a cathartic confrontation, but not before De Niro and Baker play an incredibly erotic and understated love scene that serves as the film's emotional core. --Marshall Fine

Jacknife [Region 2] Reviews:
The best drama you've never seen
2009-03-19 - Released in 1989, "Jacknife" tells the story of Megs (Robert De Niro), a Vietnam vet who looks up an old war buddy in Connecticut. The buddy is Dave (Ed Harris), a bachelor and drunkard who lives with his sister, Martha (Kathy Baker), in their inherited parent's house in the old neighborhood. Dave & Martha's situation has degenerated into lifeless habit and stagnation. Megs doesn't look up Dave because he necessarily wants to but because he has to -- they have a longstanding date to go fishing, a date with much significance.

Kathy is a biology teacher and the classic enabler, a one-woman support system enabling her brother to continue in his miserable cycle of booze/hangover/booze. She's trapped and her guilt will not let her escape, and she knows shes trapped.

There's a scene of Kathy leaving the school at the end of her work day where she goes out of her way to stop at the trophy case and looks at old pictures of her brother when he was a high school hero with much potential. You can feel what she feels as she looks at those pictures.

Dave warns Kathy about Megs -- he's half crazy and has spent a lot of time in the slammer on assault charges, but Kathy instinctively senses that Megs is their catalyst to change, their "delivererer," carbuncles and all. Yet Megs needs change as well, and Kathy is HIS deliverer. Megs is an eccentric outcast and Kathy is his golden connection to a sense of family and community, things he's been running from since he got out of the war 20 years earlier.

Kathy is a bit of a plain jane. Her stagnated lifestyle is reflected on her face. No one invited her to her Prom back in high school and who knows the last time she had a date. Yet on her initial meeting with Megs he just happens to mention she's pretty. This immediately changes her demeanor. When was the last time she felt the warmth of a genuine compliment concerning her looks? She naturally starts to develop love for this man -- a deeply flawed man -- somehthing she hasn't felt for a long, long time, perhaps never. And she slowly starts to blossom.

"Jacknife" is the perfect antidote to modern cgi-laden drivel like "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and "Iron Man." Don't get me wrong, those types of films have their place, like when you're in the mood for mindless entertainment -- goofy one-liners and all. By contrast, "Jacknife" is meaningful and character-driven; suspense is created via raw, unpredictable emotion and outstanding acting (by all three members of the triangle). Take, for instance, the truck-driving scene where Dave and Megs have a confrontation. Megs starts to put the meddle to the peddle as they drive down an incline. Dave had implied that Megs was crazy and now Megs is making a statement. Or is he? Who knows what he's doing?! The truck goes faster and faster and the viewer is uncertain if this lunatic is going to kill 'em both or what.

This scene is potent because it strikes the viewer as REAL. For me it brought to memory a similar situation when my wife and I were traveling through the heart of West Virginia. We drove in silence for a long time, perhaps two hours, and then I completely exploded, screaming at the top of my lungs -- spit and tears flying. Yet I wasn't yelling at her -- not at all -- it went much deeper than that. We were flying down the highway faster and faster while I continued to vent in raw emotion. Then my wife, the epitome of calm and stable, screams out, "IF YOU'RE GOING TO WRECK MAKE SURE YOU KILL US BOTH!!!" That was almost four years ago and, thankfully, nothing like it has happened since. Why do I bring this experience up? Because "Jacknife," albeit a tad stagey (which is natural since it was based on a play), rings so true.

The film was shot on location in the heart of Connecticut in Meriden, Cromwell and Wethersfield (the diner scene). The story obviously takes place in November and the authentic locations are great.

BOTTOM LINE: If you're in the mood for a meaningful, character-driven drama you can't go wrong with "Jacknife."

PERSONAL GRADE: A-

Ok, I'm a Kathy Baker Fan
2007-06-27 - I do admit that I'm a Kathy Baker fan so i'm sure i'll have a review soon about Picket Fences Season One. I first saw her in "Clean and Sober" with Michael Keaton, then saw this film, and then was thrilled to learn she would be in "Picket Fences." That being said, I think the most powerful perfomance in this movie was by Ed Harris - I don't know why I never made the connection, maybe I wasnt paying attention, but I never realized that it was Ed Harris playing that role - this film has three very powerful actors in it, actors who are known for getting into their roles - Baker has always given a strong performance and it just feels like she comes across naturally, so believably, on the screen - to me, it feels like you're seeing her natural personality. DeNiro, of course, gives a magnificient performance too, although maybe just a wee bit over the top.

Maybe this DVD goes to show that if you wait long enough, eventually everything will come to DVD - I think it would be fun to be at the major studios and listen in how they discuss what old films and TV shows to put out on DVD.

Go, Red Sox
2007-06-20 - Being a child of the 1980s and having a father who served in the military during the 1960s, a very large portion of the movies I watched with my father concerned the Vietnam War. Some of these films such as Hamburger Hill (1987), Platoon (1986), and Full Metal Jacket (1987) left quite an impression on me and led to me and my neighborhood friends to play "Vietnam War" in our backyards. As time passed though, and with the death of my family's first VCR, I watched fewer films based on the Vietnam War and its aftermath, but during the years in which I was a neophyte cinephile I saw a number of times the cover of Jacknife (1989) which sports the image of a long haired, bearded, Boston Red Sox cap wearing Robert De Niro and became interested in watching the film. However, it was not until a couple of days ago while watching one of the cable film channels with my father that I finally sat down and watched this film.

Jacknife opens with a scene of a cold morning in Connecticut with Joseph Megessey (De Niro) making his way to his friend David Flannigan's (Ed Harris) home for a day of early morning fishing. However, Meg had invited Dave to fish some five weeks earlier, so Dave is stone drunk when Meg arrives. Yet, instead of being locked out in the cold, Meges meets Dave's uptight sister Martha and after a near altercation, the three head off to fish for rainbow trout, or it would be better to say Meg and Martha fish while Dave drinks himself into a stupor. Meg and Martha become fast friends, but it is soon revealed that Dave truly dislikes the boisterously loquacious Meg and wants little to do with the man. However, this dislike stems more from the association of Meges with the death of their mutual friend Bobby in Vietnam than a personal level. Dave is determined to bury his memories in a sea of alcohol, but Meg is determined to make Dave confront his demons, but, of course, Meg has some of his own as well.

Like many films similar to this such as Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Jacknife mainly focuses on issues such as Post-traumatic stress disorder and the general reception of Vietnam War Veterans when they returned to America. Harris's character's being is just as much damaged from the events that he suffered in Vietnam as the general reception he received upon his return to America. Instead of finding consolation and help, he found his only solace in alcohol. His being an alcoholic, of course, not only makes him suffer, but those around him as well. Yet, the only way that he can truly help himself is by facing his own demons, but that can be just as frightening as diving into the heat of battle.

Great unknown drama
2007-06-18 - If it wasn't for the fact that typically I reserve five stars for absolute masterpieces--like Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai"--I definitely would have given this film that rating. At least four and a half. This virtually unknown film, directed by David Jones, is a tour de force for actors DeNiro, Ed Harris, and Kathy Baker. Each of them is so good it's impossible to find a single line--even a single word--that's out of place, or a misstep, or just plain wrong.

The script is by Stephen Metcalfe who adapted his stage play "Strange Snow" to the screen and did a masterful job. It's the story of two Vietnam vets (Harris and DeNiro) who both found jobs working with vehicles--Harris as a truck driver and DeNiro as a mechanic. But Harris has become a drunk because it's impossible for him to forget what happened to their mutual bud Bobby, tragically killed in Vietnam.

Emotions run high here, yet this is anything but melodrama. It's high drama, yes, but the dialogue is very smart and heartfelt and as strong as steel. There's no phony tears, no strident or schmaltzy words, no false moves anywhere. DeNiro--Megs--visits Harris and Baker (playing Harris' sister) to rouse Harris out of his drunken stupor, to go fishing with him, to remind him, in essence, that the two of them both have lives to lead, that the past is the past and that while it will never be forgotten, it should never get in the way of living life the way it was meant to be lived.

Megs is a larger than life character, and DeNiro handles this role like he was born for it. His nickname is the film's title. The real foil for his character is Baker, who is also perfect as the biology teacher who feels, who knows, that below Megs' surface craziness is a true heart that wants to be happy.

A terrific piece of work, and very highly recommended.

Good Story Followed by Great Performers
2007-05-16 - My position may be a lit biased because I am a big De Niro fan, but I really enjoyed this movie. The story line following war vets from Vietnam was a good fit for many of the charactors. You get the true feeling of brotherhood but at the same time you feel that same brotherhood being betrayed. You can't help but think of someone that you know and their point of view on the whole story. So to anyone who is wondering if they should purchse the film or not I say "if you feel you want to watch a movie with a good story line that you can personally relate to...watch this movie."