One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

*THIS REVIEW DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Upon arriving at a mental institution, a brash rebel rallies the patients to take on the oppressive Nurse Ratched, a woman more dictator than nurse.

Great movie.  Hands down, best film I've seen in a while.  I've seen a lot of movies set in mental hospitals but this one takes the cake.

All the characters are awesome (but Chief is my absolute favorite!) and the acting was amazing! I really believed I was witnessing a crazy house and an underdog story but the ending threw me totally for a loop.  I wanted to scream, cry and pass out all at the same time.

I was totally moved by this movie.  I will continue my raving after a mini summary:

RP was doing some time in prison but acted out so they thought he was crazy.  He ends up in a mental institution so they can diagnose whether or not he actually needs medical attention or if he's just faking.

Once there, RP starts to stir things up.  He messes with the crazy nurse and gets the patients to embrace themselves again.  You could say they all live vicariously through him.  He even gets the deaf mute Chief to play basketball (the guy barely moves to begin with so this is a HUGE improvement).

Long story short, RP finds out that he can't just leave the hospital when his sentence is over.  He's there until he 'gets better'.  Since he pretty much made enemies of all the staff he doesn't see how this is possible and plans to escape with Chief.

While planning to leave he gets really close with the guys and misses his window of opportunity.  The nurses decide to punish him accordingly and we find out later this means they give him a lobotomy.  Chief is assumed a deaf mute (even though he's just faking) so he gets off easy.  In the end, Chief kills RP because he was too good a man to live life as a vegetable, and escapes the way that he and RP always planned to.  He smashes a window and runs for the forest...the end.

So my summary doesn't give this movie justice but you have to see it.  You just have to.  I was so glued to my seat in awe that when class was over I was upset that I couldn't just keep watching the movie (yes this was another Soc class film).

Overall 5 stars!  I can't wait to rewatch this movie when I'm studying for the exam.  This movie deserves every award it has won/been nominated for and all the praise it has been given.  NOW GO WATCH IT!!!