The Two Jakes

Meanwhile, Gittes has a wire recording of the event, and everybody from cops to hoodlums is trying to get it from him. But on the recording Gittes hears the name Katharine Mulwray, causing the events that occurred in "Chinatown" to flood his mind as he becomes obsessed with finding her.

What follows is a very complex mystery that really is a direct extension of the first film rather than the usual remake-sequel that stands on its own. It is therefore ironic that the title, "The Two Jakes," while a welcome relief from the many numbered titles in theaters right now, does not indicate its original source. Moviegoers who go in blind will likely find themselves confused.

Nicholson's performance is flawless, making Jake more mellow but still the same man from the first film, and though his direction is full of impeccable detail and thoughtful setups, there is much less urgency here than in "Chinatown." Thankfully, however, Nicholson had no compunctions about making a linear movie that lets its story unravel naturally, without distracting car chases, music videos and unwarranted gunplay.

Robert Towne's script is no less convoluted than the story he wrote for the first film, but this time the story, while interesting, is much less compelling. (To be fair it should be noted that Towne's screenplay reportedly underwent extensive rewrites.)

The rest of the cast is top-notch, and it's especially nice to see Eli Wallach and Richard Farnsworth in roles with some meat to them. Would that they had more screen time here.

Fans of "Chinatown" will also be pleasantly surprised to see a number of character actors repeating their roles from that film, including James Hong as Kahn, Perry Lopez as Capt. Escobar, Joe Mantell as Walsh and Allan Warnick as the Hall of Records clerk.

There is much to enjoy in "The Two Jakes," but there's also the haunting notion that "Chinatown" was one of the last movies that needed a sequel. And yet, "The Two Jakes" is like revisiting an old friend many years later. A lot has changed and not always for the best. But it's still fun getting together.

"The Two Jakes" is rated R for violence, profanity, sex and vulgarity.