The Two Jakes

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The Two Jakes

R,

1990,

2h 17m,

Mystery & Thriller/

Comedy/

Romance/

Crime/

Drama

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Watchlist

60%

30 Reviews

Tomatometer

39%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

60%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

39%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Private investigator and war veteran Jake Gittes is hired by real estate developer Jake Berman for some run-of-the-mill matrimonial work. After Berman shoots his wife's lover, who happens to be his own business partner, Gittes is drawn into a web of conspiracy and deceit involving the oil reserves beneath Los Angeles. While investigating, Gittes hears a voice from his past that causes him to revisit a traumatic case in Chinatown.

Stephen Amidon

Financial Times

Aug 18, 2021

It is a fundamentally strong story, though it lacks the ingenious nuances and twists of Towne's earlier effort.

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Geoff Brown

The Times (UK)

Aug 18, 2021

As a thriller, The Two Jakes proves impossible to follow; as an exercise in retro style, it glows with sullen beauty. Forties suits, ties, two-tone shoes: everything is in place, bathed in hard-edged gloom.

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Derek Malcolm

Guardian

Aug 18, 2021

In short, The Two Jakes, combining the best of the old and the best of the new, is one helluva good movie.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 5, 2025

3/4

Nicholson's turn as Gittes is enjoyable, but it never quite feels like the same man from Chinatown (also reviewed here). Yet The Two Jakes is admirably dense in a manner that's satisfying rather than frustrating.

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Josh Mooney

Movieline

Sep 16, 2025

The Two Jakes is frustratingly complex and baffling.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Sep 2, 2025

2.5/5

Although visually sumptuous, Jack Nicholson's direction and acting in "The Two Jakes" results in a largely inert follow-up to "Chinatown."

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George R

Sep 1, 2018

A clumsy, dreadful movie. So badly written and directed that it makes good actors awful. Best thing: they didn't call it Chinatown II.

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Ron S

Jan 6, 2018

Typically well-acted and an admirable effort in the director's chair from Nicholson, it has its moments, but it simply can't capture the tone, style and magic that its predecessor, 'Chinatown', had in spades. The narrative certainly had potential with its mystery, but it gets a bit messy along the way and loses its thread for a while before coming together in a coherent, but somewhat unsatisfying ending. Being too long and in need of some editing doesn't help matters much, either. All in all, it's a mediocre film with some interesting stuff going on here and there, but doesn't feel like enough of a justification to bring the characters back for a second round.

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Anakin S

Jul 27, 2008

As a sequel to one of the best films of the '70's, The Two Jakes fails to re-capture any of the feel of Chinatown, although it tried real hard. The story was way too convoluted for a two hour film. Some terrible overacting from a couple of key players made it almost laughable at times. Nicholson is good, but it makes sense that this was his last directing credit.

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Jack Nicholson

Director

Jack Nicholson

Jake Gittes

Harvey Keitel

Julius 'Jake' Berman

Meg Tilly

Kitty Berman

Madeleine Stowe

Lillian Bodine

Eli Wallach

Cotton Weinberger

The Two Jakes: Official Clip - The Name of the Game is Oil

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The Two Jakes: Official Clip - The Wife of the Guy that Jake Berman Shot

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Synopsis

Private investigator and war veteran Jake Gittes is hired by real estate developer Jake Berman for some run-of-the-mill matrimonial work. After Berman shoots his wife's lover, who happens to be his own business partner, Gittes is drawn into a web of conspiracy and deceit involving the oil reserves beneath Los Angeles. While investigating, Gittes hears a voice from his past that causes him to revisit a traumatic case in Chinatown.

Director: Jack Nicholson
Producer: Robert Evans, Harold Schneider, Jack Nicholson
Screenwriter: Robert Towne
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, 88 Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Comedy, Romance, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 10, 1990, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $9.4M
Runtime: 2h 17m
Sound Mix: Surround, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track

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