Jack Nicholson plays the introverted host of a radio show. Bruce Dern plays his brother, a scheming hoodlum who wants Nicholson to become his partner so they can buy a small island and operate a hotel and casino on it. Ellen Burstyn tags along as a shady former beauty queen. Julia Anne Robinson accompanies them as the second female interest.
This movie is all about the interactions between 4 very different, dysfunctional people hanging around in the Atlantic City area while Dern rants and raves about striking it rich with the island real estate deal. Burstyn portrays the most tragic of the foursome . . . a directionless woman who dwells on the past and hopes for a bright future, but can't seem to deal very well with the present.
In addition to the crisp dialogue and wonderful acting, this movie has some very striking, symmetrical blocking and cinematography. Many scenes where Nicholson and Dern appear together are staged so it appears they are looking at each other in a mirror, with one side of the shot almost perfectly balanced with the other.
This was directed by Bob Rafelson (FIVE EASY PIECES, HEAD, and THE MONKEES television series). It costars Scatman Crothers as a gangster, John P. Ryan, and Josh Mostel. The DVD liner notes say Nicholson and Dern were originally cast to play the opposite roles, but just before major production started, the director decided to switch them and have Dern play the hoodlum.
