I was hoping to see Anne Bancroft, or honestly anyone who could bring some sophistication to what is a truly lackluster film designed to showcase Jack Nicholson. Returning as "Gittes" from "Chinatown," he gets caught up in a murder investigation that makes him question everyone’s trustworthiness while attempting to uncover the facts and survive. Essentially, that's what it's about – nothing particularly new, really. Better writing and a more engaged performance from the lead actor might have improved things. Instead, he seems to be just going through the motions, with a rather uninspired narration accompanying the familiar noir storyline as it slowly progresses – and I certainly mean "slowly." Nicholson also directed this slow-moving film, which may help explain why it’s such a disappointment. It felt like no one was critically assessing what they were creating, how the story was unfolding, or just how predictable everything was. He gathered a capable supporting cast—Harvey Keitel and Eli Wallach are among them—but even they have very little to do beyond playing expected character types; there’s almost no depth or growth for anyone here. It's simply not their best work and a weak copy of the first film featuring this gruff detective. The visuals are decent, but it’s really only suitable for watching on television when you don’t have anything else to do on a rainy winter night.

Source on TMDB