Jack Nicholson’s Psychological Thriller ‘The Pledge’ Is a Must-Watch on Its 25th Anniversary

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It’s been fifteen years since Jack Nicholson last graced the big screen, and fans are eager for his return. Though he’s been absent, his many classic films continue to entertain. One particularly memorable movie, a dark and suspenseful thriller called The Pledge, will celebrate its 25th anniversary on January 19, 2025. Directed by Sean Penn, the film is adapted from Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s well-known 1958 novella, The Pledge: Requiem for the Detective Novel.

The movie features Jack Nicholson as Jerry Black, an older police detective in Reno, Nevada, who is still troubled by a cold case involving a murdered child. He made a promise to the girl’s mother to solve the crime, but now a new, similar murder has occurred, making things much harder. When a suspect appears, he unexpectedly takes his own life. The situation becomes even more baffling when an autopsy reveals the latest victim also died by suicide. Feeling something isn’t right, Jerry decides to investigate on his own to uncover the truth.

Jack Nicholson Gives One of His Best Performances in ‘The Pledge’


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I recently rewatched The Pledge, and even though it wasn’t a box office hit – it only made $29.4 million on a $34 million budget – I think it’s really worth checking out. As a Jack Nicholson fan, I was surprised and delighted by his performance. He’s known for those big, memorable roles in films like The Shining, Batman, and The Departed, where he really goes for it. But in The Pledge, he does something totally different – he’s incredibly restrained. It’s brilliant how he shows his character’s frustration with such subtlety, and it makes you genuinely care about what happens to him.

This movie is known for its incredibly unexpected ending – one that will likely either frustrate or amaze viewers. It completely breaks from typical Hollywood crime thrillers. While audiences might anticipate a classic conclusion where the detective catches the criminal, that doesn’t happen here. It’s a truly unconventional finale.

Many consider The Pledge to be Sean Penn’s best directorial work. He tackles difficult subjects, such as mental health and the mistreatment of Native Americans, with sensitivity and skill. Like his other films, it features beautiful cinematography, skillfully capturing the atmosphere and making viewers feel immersed in the story alongside the main character, Jerry, as he investigates the crime.

‘The Pledge’ Has an Interesting ‘One Battle After Another’ Connection


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As a movie fan, I was really impressed by the cast Sean Penn put together for this film – it was seriously one of the best Hollywood had to offer back then. You’ve got legends like Helen Mirren and Mickey Rourke, plus Robin Wright, who Penn was actually married to at the time. But for me, the biggest draw was Benicio del Toro. Penn and Benicio had just worked together on One Battle After Another, and this film kicked off a fantastic three-movie run they had together. It was cool to see them team up again so quickly!

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Following The Pledge, Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro starred together in director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s first English-language film, 21 Grams. The movie is a crime thriller where Penn plays Paul Rivers, a man with a life-threatening illness waiting for a heart transplant, and del Toro portrays Jack Jordan, a former prisoner who has turned to religion and is haunted by guilt after a terrible accident. Del Toro’s performance earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Both actors in One Battle After Another are strong contenders for Oscar nominations. They both received recognition at the recent Golden Globe Awards, and historically, the Golden Globes are a good indicator of who will win at the Oscars. We wish them the best! While you’re at it, be sure to check out Nicholson and del Toro in The Pledge, where they play characters who are complete opposites.

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2026-01-19 15:33