Five Easy Pieces1970
Five Easy Pieces (1970)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: An important touchstone of the New Hollywood era, Five Easy Pieces is a haunting portrait of alienation that features one of Jack Nicholson's greatest performances.
Five Easy Pieces Photos
Movie Info
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Cast
as Robert Dupea
as Rayette Dipesto
as Catherine Van Ost
as Carl Dupea
as Elton
as Stoney
as Betty
as Twinkie
as Nicholas
as Partita Dupea
as Terry Grouse
as Waitress
as Recording Engineer
as Samia
as Palm Apodaca
as Spicer
as Samia Glavia
as Twinky
News & Interviews for Five Easy Pieces
Critic Reviews for Five Easy Pieces
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (6) | DVD (3)
A very modern film. Elliptical, absurdist, harshly humorous, convulsively lyrical.
The flaws of this acutely self-conscious 1970 road picture grow more obvious with every passing year, but so does its passion and eloquence.
The movie has more anger than it knows what to do with; that's its fascination and its weakness, too.
Nicholson makes it all go. He proves he is more than a "character actor" with many scenes, especially the confrontation with his father.
It's a great work of the Discover America Seventies.
The film's nervewracking quality is consistent with its content. Nicholson's performance is a remarkably varied and daring exploration of a complex character, equally convincing in its manic and sober aspects.
Audience Reviews for Five Easy Pieces
A sorrowful tale about the implications of being a runaway from life, Jack Nicholson gives a stellar performance as Robert, a former piano prodigy. Robert is a very interesting character, a man who runs from everything in the world, just so he can be alone and selfish. He runs off from his wealth and his family because he can't deal with his father's disapproval. He runs from his girlfriend, his job, from everything that dissatisfies him only because he wants his life to be purposeful, for something to come out of nothing. He doesn't want to feel trapped by money, and yet he resents anyone who believes he's as lowdown as they are. His selfishness becomes his undoing, and his tendency to run forces him to choose between doing the right thing and the wrong. A stellar supporting cast, amazing premise, and a powerful performance from Nicholson makes this character study an exercise in the contention of human error.
Super Reviewer
Love the Tammy Wynette/Classical music soundtrack. Especially love the scene where Elton's wife is glued to the small staticy tv screen watching Frank Capra's "You Can't Take It With You".
Super Reviewer
A great road movie about a man who is on a, wait for it, existential journey. This film not only spoke to a generation of filmgoers bewildered by end of the turbulent 60's, but also catapulted Nicholson to the A-List. It is a powerful study on alienation and not for those seeking escapist entertainment. While it is most famous for it's diner scene, I think that scene deserves more than just the simple laugh that most people give it. While Nicholson is on a constant search for his place in this world, on the rare occasion that he does know what he wants, his efforts are obstructed by an established order. Even his attempts to rectify the situation are thwarted by those who reinforce the order. A palpable message for the turn of the decade. Unfortunately, the film does take some unnecessary detours, pun intended, and Karen Black has to be one of the most obnoxious on screen presences I have ever witnessed.
Super Reviewer
Five Easy Pieces Quotes
| Robert Eroica Dupea: | I'd like a, uh, plain omelette, uh, no potatoes, tomatoes instead, a cup of coffee, and wheat toast. |
| Waitress: | No substitutions. |
| Robert Eroica Dupea: | What do you mean? You don't have any tomatoes? |
| Waitress: | Only what's on the menu. You can have a number two - a plain omelette. It comes with cottage fries and rolls. |
| Robert Eroica Dupea: | Yeah, I know what it comes with, but it's not what I want. |
| Waitress: | Well, I'll come back when you make up your mind. |
| Palm Apodaca: | Fantastic that you could figure that all out and lie that down on her so you could come up with a way to get your toast. Fantastic! |
| Robert Eroica Dupea: | Yeah, well, I didn't get it, did I? |
| Palm Apodaca: | No, but it was very clever. I would have just punched her out. |
| Palm Apodaca: | Hey, follow that truck. They know the best places to stop. |