Chinatown

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Chinatown

R

Released Jun 20, 1974

2h 11m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

144 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

When Los Angeles private eye J.J. Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is hired by Evelyn Mulwray to investigate her husband's activities, he believes it's a routine infidelity case. Jake's investigation soon becomes anything but routine when he meets the real Mrs. Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) and realizes he was hired by an imposter. Mr. Mulwray's sudden death sets Gittes on a tangled trail of corruption, deceit and sinister family secrets as Evelyn's father (John Huston) becomes a suspect in the case.

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Critics Consensus

As bruised and cynical as the decade that produced it, this noir classic benefits from Robert Towne's brilliant screenplay, director Roman Polanski's steady hand, and wonderful performances from Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway.

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Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

Among its myriad alluring – and lurid – contradictions, Chinatown is overtly stylish yet understated, depicting inveterate moral decay and corruption so matter-of-factly that Huston’s emphatic refusal to accept any blame... makes your skin crawl.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 12, 2024

Full Review

Charles Champlin

Los Angeles Times

In its total recapturing of a past, in its plot, its vivid characterizations, its carefully calculated and accelerating pace, its whole demonstration of a medium mastered, Chinatown reminds you again that motion pictures are larger, not smaller than life.

Mar 8, 2024

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Penelope Gilliatt

The New Yorker

The film, set in the thirties, from a script by Robert Towne, is wickedly skillful, funny, and socially alert.

Mar 8, 2024

Full Review

Morgan Shaunette

Willamette Week

Feelings of pessimism, powerlessness and futility in the face of overwhelming odds lie at the film noir genre’s core. Chinatown boasts these in spades.

Aug 12, 2025

Full Review

Martin Carr

martincarr.co.uk

Chinatown hits 50 this year and this Jack Nicholson film noir has lost none of its potency. Featuring the legendary John Huston alongside Faye Dunaway, this Oscar winning story from Robert Towne is still essential viewing.

Jul 29, 2024

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Adrian Turner

Radio Times

The result was acrimony behind the scenes and genius on the screen in a masterpiece that repays any number of viewings.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 1, 2024

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Jack

Greatest noir ever filmed

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/30/25

Full Review

Michael

51 years on still one of the most arresting American films ever made. Its a masterpiece.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/30/25

Full Review

Brian S

A detective story where truth itself curdles into poison, and every answer drags you deeper into a world where corruption is the only constant.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/27/25

Full Review

Tom F

A perfect screenplay, a masterclass in acting, and a troubling piece of Roman Polanski’s difficult legacy.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/05/25

Full Review

Kyle C

Led by an endlessly charming performance from Jack Nicholson, Chinatown is not just a movie, it’s a mood. It effortlessly captures the 1930s detective noir atmosphere with striking costumes, detailed set design, and a delicate score. But it’s the script that makes this film exceptional. Every scene, every line, every word feels thoughtful, intentional, and precise. My only real issues come from a few out-of-character moments for Gittes. A romantic kiss appears out of nowhere, feeling unearned and unnatural. Later, in a crucial scene, he repeatedly slaps a woman who has only ever been portrayed as a victim. Even for a slimy-but-honest private investigator, this crosses a line, feeling more like a flaw in the writing than in the man himself. Still, Chinatown endures because of its devastating themes: the futility of fighting corruption, the way good intentions curdle into greater harm, and the crushing realization that the system always wins. Its bleak finale was poignant in 1974 and feels even more acute today.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/25/25

Full Review

Rami A

With its tremendous screenplay, glorious cinematography, superb acting, and winsome writing, it's nearly impossible to call Roman Polanski's "Chinatown" a bad movie. It does what few movies do. It's a movie that can be watched over and over again without feeling repetitive, because you can pick up new things with each watch. Plus, who could possibly get bored with Jack Nicholson?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/23/25

Full Review

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Roman Polanski

Director

Jack Nicholson

J. J. (Jake) Gittes

Faye Dunaway

Evelyn Cross Mulwray

John Huston

Noah Cross

Perry Lopez

Lt. Lou Escobar

John Hillerman

Russ Yelburton

Chinatown: Official Clip - It's Chinatown

1:14

Chinatown: Official Clip - My Sister, My Daughter

2:12

Chinatown: Official Clip - A Respectable Man

2:12

Chinatown: Official Clip - Capable of Anything

1:23

Chinatown: Official Clip - Jake Likes His Nose

1:01

Chinatown: Official Clip - Nosy Fella

0:43

Chinatown: Official Clip - Evelyn's Last Stand

2:12

Chinatown: Official Clip - Find the Girl

1:53

Chinatown: Official Clip - Screwing Like a Chinaman

1:27

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Synopsis

When Los Angeles private eye J.J. Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is hired by Evelyn Mulwray to investigate her husband's activities, he believes it's a routine infidelity case. Jake's investigation soon becomes anything but routine when he meets the real Mrs. Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) and realizes he was hired by an imposter. Mr. Mulwray's sudden death sets Gittes on a tangled trail of corruption, deceit and sinister family secrets as Evelyn's father (John Huston) becomes a suspect in the case.

Director: Roman Polanski
Producer: Robert Evans
Screenwriter: Robert Towne, Roman Polanski
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 20, 1974, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Runtime: 2h 11m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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