SummaryThis mind-bending drama melds elements of a thriller, romance, murder mystery and time-travel fantasy. (Warner Independent Pictures)
Directed By:John Maybury
Written By:Tom Bleecker, Marc Rocco, Massy Tadjedin
The Jacket
Metascore
Mixed or Average
44
User score
Generally Favorable
7.3
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
44
23% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
60% Mixed
21 Reviews
21 Reviews
17% Negative
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
90
The first great film of 2005.
63
The Jacket is a confused attempt at headiness that feels like a poor man's "Memento."
User score
Generally Favorable
7.3
71% Positive
59 Ratings
59 Ratings
25% Mixed
21 Ratings
21 Ratings
4% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
Jan 24, 2026
10
A haunting and deeply captivating psychological sci-fi thriller that seamlessly blends mind-bending time travel with profound emotional resonance.2013 (5.0)Directed by John Maybury, "The Jacket" (2005) is an intensely eerie and atmospheric psychological sci-fi thriller that weaves themes of fate, memory, and redemption into a captivating puzzle. The narrative follows Jack Starks, a traumatized Gulf War veteran suffering from amnesia who is wrongfully accused of killing a police officer and committed to a mental institution for the criminally insane. There, he becomes the subject of a controversial experimental treatment overseen by Dr. Thomas Becker, involving heavy medication, a restrictive straitjacket, and prolonged confinement inside a cold, dark morgue drawer. Far from destroying his mind, this extreme sensory deprivation triggers a mysterious phenomenon, projecting Jack's consciousness forward into the future. In the year 2007, he encounters Jackie Price, a troubled young woman whom he had met as a neglected child years prior. Upon learning from Jackie that his present self is destined to die in the asylum in just a few days, Jack races across time to uncover the truth behind his fate, alter the lives of those he cares about, and find emotional peace before his time runs out. Starring Adrien Brody alongside Keira Knightley, Daniel Craig, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Kris Kristofferson, the film excels through striking visual direction, a haunting score by Brian Eno, and a deeply moving lead performance by Brody. Viewing this in 2013 was a mesmerizing and unforgettable cinematic experience, offering a powerful balance of psychological suspense and poignant human warmth.
60
The director's work is suitably unnerving, but leaves one feeling beaten senseless by reel two. When the hero's well-earned moment of clarity finally arrives, most will likely be too numbed out to care, despite the best efforts of Brody, an actor too vividly alive to be wasting his time playing dead.
50
The Jacket is both a genre movie and a symptom, a gothic treatment of Gulf War syndrome.
40
Maybury's art-world talents don't include storytelling, and his visceral bursts of fast editing and extreme close-ups don't yield any full-blown characters, narrative, or political vision.
40
Still, the central mystery remains effective and compelling for most of the film, until it becomes clear that it's all image and no intent.
20
In this case, the adage would go something like "material, material, material," also known as the Nicolas Cage Rule: Good acting can't overcome bad taste.
Aug 8, 2011
10
The Jacket is an amazing movie. Adrien brody and keira knightly's performance was very impressive. and the music was just beautiful. I watched it first time four years ago and now watch it gain still see it's amazing. One of the best movie I've ever seen. (Best is Inception lol)
Oct 20, 2024
5
It's not entirely a bad movie but it could have been way better, there were a lot of plot holes and things that didn't make sense in the movie, however the ending was emotional
Sep 8, 2013
3
Utter drivel. The characters were decent but the plot-line was boring, and it became increasingly difficult to watch. It's kind of thrown together in an unpredictable manner and that makes it hard to enjoy.
Sep 13, 2024
2
C’est l’estimable Adrien Brody qui finit à l’asile, amnésique et à moitié cinglé (ou aux trois quarts ?) sous les bons (ou mauvais) soins des psycho-docs (plus ou moins) frappadingues (Kristofferson et Leigh).
Cependant, il trouve vite sa muse en la mignonne personne de Keira Knightley, toujours ravissante ici !Le film est dans l’ensemble complètement décousu et ce ne sont pas les éléments fantastico-délirants à l’effet papillon qui peuvent y remédier, bien au contraire.
On suit néanmoins presque la moitié du film en trouvant déjà le temps un peu long, puis on décroche plus ou moins régulièrement. Enfin, afin d’éventuellement voir la fin, on décoche moult avances rapides à ce merdier mais on reste déçu et incrédule, c’est le moins qu’on puisse dire ! Heureusement que Keira est là, on ne s’en lasse pas… mais tout de même, quel navet très désordonné !
Production Company:
- Mandalay Pictures
- 2929 Productions
- VIP 2 Medienfonds
- VIP 3 Medienfonds
- Rising Star
- Section Eight
- MP Pictures
Release Date:Mar 4, 2005
Duration:1 h 43 m
Rating:R
Tagline:the first one is hard, then comes easy
Website:
Awards
Jupiter Award
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Nomination
Golden Schmoes Awards
• 1 Nomination
