Jacknife
1989 · Movie · 102 min. · United States
This little-known Robert DeNiro film is set several years after the war in Vietnam. DeNiro plays an unpredictably explosive war veteran, while Ed Harris co-stars as his army buddy, who's trying his best to forget his Vietnamese experiences by crawling into a bottle. While visiting Harris and Harris' sister Kathy Baker, DeNiro frightens both with his neurotic ramblings. Still, Baker is grateful that DeNiro's presence seems to be lifting Harris out of his deep funk. She encourages DeNiro to stay on for a while, thereby setting the stage for a blossoming romance. Baker has no way of knowing that Harris' depression has been brought about by the death of a wartime pal--a death he blames on DeNiro. Violence threatens to erupt at every turn in Jacknife, but the film refuses to play down to its audience by wallowing in the obvious. (Hal Erickson: All Movie Guide)
Direction David Hugh Jones
Cast Robert De Niro · Kathy Baker · Ed Harris · Sloane Shelton · Ivar Brogger · Tom Isbell · Charles S. Dutton · Elizabeth Franz
Soundtrack Bruce Broughton
Screenplay Stephen Metcalfe
Cinematography Brian West
Original title Jacknife
5.7
842 votes (FilmAffinity)
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