David Keith, Eli Wallach, Frederic Forrest

Set more than a decade after the story in Chinatown, this 1990 sequel brings Jack Nicholson back to the screen as L.A. private detective Jake Gittes. Older, fatter, worn, and frustrated, the ...( read more  read more... )Jake of 1948 is still haunted by the tragic events of the earlier film. While investigating a case involving adultery and questionable land dealings by an L.A. tycoon (Harvey Keitel as the other Jake), Gittes unexpectedly confronts a few old ghosts and discovers that the resource of choice in Southern California--one for which people die--is no longer water but oil. The film had a notorious production history, with Nicholson taking over the project from writer-director Robert Towne, and the dense plot can be difficult to follow. But if The Two Jakes doesn't measure up to the legendary status of its stylish predecessor, the film does satisfy on its own terms and brings the events of Chinatown to a moving conclusion. Terrific work by Keitel and supporting players Meg Tilly, Madeleine Stowe, Eli Wallach, and Ruben Blades. --Tom Keogh

Flixster Users

38% liked it

4,683 ratings

R, 137 min.

Directed by: Jack Nicholson

Release Date: August 10, 1990

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: November 23, 1999

Get It:

Stats: 143 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Your Rating



clear rating

Flixster Reviews (143)


  • December 13, 2008
    Should have left well enough alone.
  • June 5, 2008
    Jack Nicholson revives the Jake Gittes myth in this minor but decent follow up to the legendary Chinatown. it keeps the twists and intricate schemes of the first. but the romantic, unnerving and disturbing touch is lost.
  • November 22, 2006
    An incredibly disappointing sequel to Chinatown.
  • March 2, 2006
    Not Chinatown, but Gittes still holds you without question.
  • November 13, 2009
    This 1990 sequel to the critically acclaimed hit Chinatown has lost some of it's edge and precision over the years but it hasn't lost the heart or the powerful sense of intrigue and mystery that the first film had. But what The Two Jakes delivers is nothing short of smart...( read more) and cool under the vibrant direction of star Jack Nicholson and the help of the impressive supporting cast that includes Ruben Blades, Harvey Keitel Richard Farnsworth, David Keith and Madeleine Stowe. But what really catches you about this movie is not the intriguing new story laid out for you It's the haunted past of the first film that keeps popping up once ever so often to drive this film and point out he fact that time doesn't heal old wounds.





    The Two Jakes has a highly original story blended with the dark and bleak reality of the events that occurred at the middle and end of Chinatown, while not as potent or as well acted as the '74 classic but it has it's moments where it soars above the original and there are moments where it doesn't even come close to succeeding the original. But this film does give you a good dose of mystery and intrigue even if it is at sometimes a little one sided.





    Jack Nicholson is great as ever as J.J. Gitties but being older has kind of taken the edge and some of the strength out of the character and made him less of a commanding power on the screen. But never the less Nicholson pulls it off amazingly. Harvey Keitel is fantastic as the other Jake, he brings the betrayal and corruption to the film and is perfectly suited for the role. Madeline Stowe really is a factor for why this film is not as great as it could have been, she is over acting so much in the film that her narcissistic character almost becomes a nuisances. Ruben Blades is slick as the mobster best friend to Harvey Keitel but he also is kind of over and under acting in some of the scenes he's in but nevertheless pulls it off without a hitch. All in all the cast is good here and makes this film a worthy sequel.





    The Two Jakes is not as, like I said earlier, near perfect or as gritty and dark as the Chinatown of old, but what it does have is a great and undeniable sense of what is right and what is wrong and how far too go when it comes to digging up the truth. Even when sometimes the truth is best to stay buried. The Two Jakes is not a case you need to jump on right now but it is one you need to look into when the time is right.
  • November 13, 2009
    average sequel to Chinatown
  • April 1, 2009
    I tried my best to keep Chinatown out of mind while watching this film, but it doesn't even hold up on its own, let alone as a sequel to one of the greatest films ever made. Fundamentally, it's a convoluted and emotionally devoid script with brief flashes of something stronger. A...( read more)lthough it's a nicely photographed picture, Nicholson fails to accomplish any particular mood or tone from a directorial standpoint. The acting is a mixed bag of strong, mediocre and poor. Overall, I just found this to be an uncompelling movie.
  • October 14, 2008
    Must see the entire thing.
  • September 14, 2008
    Would be a great mystery movie, but sadly I couldn't help but compare it to Chinatown.
  • August 20, 2008
    Any movie with jack in it is a good movie

Critic Reviews


No recent reviews.

Comments


This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "The Two Jakes" !

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Chinatown
    Chinatown (80%)

Facts


No facts approved yet. Be the first

The Two Jakes : Watch Free on TV


The Two Jakes Trivia


  • Two Jakes is the sequel to what movie?  Answer »
  • To what movie was The Two Jakes (1990) a sequel to?  Answer »
  • what is the name of the sequel to chinatown  Answer »
  • He directed the film-The Two Jakes!  Answer »

Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for The Two Jakes. Want to create one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?