The Pledge (2001)

A retiring police chief pledges to catch the killer of a young child.

Director:

Sean Penn

Writers:

Friedrich Dürrenmatt (book), Jerzy Kromolowski (screenplay),

Stars:

Patricia Clarkson, Beau Daniels, Benicio Del Toro

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Patricia Clarkson	...	Margaret Larsen
Beau Daniels	...	Rudy
Benicio Del Toro	...	Toby Jay Wadenah
Dale Dickey	...	Strom
Wendy Morrow Donaldson	...	Resort Owner
Adrien Dorval	...	Sheriff (as P. Adrien Dorval)
Aaron Eckhart	...	Stan Krolak
Shawn Henter	...	Bus Driver
Kathy Jensen	...	Store Clerk
Taryn Knowles	...	Ginny Larsen
Nels Lennarson	...	Hank
Costas Mandylor	...	Monash Deputy
J.J. McColl	...	Real Estate Agent
Gordon May	...	Criminologist #1
Gardiner Millar	...	Deputy #3 (as Gardinar Millar)

Storyline

The night he retires as a Nevada sheriff, Jerry Black pledges to the mother of a murdered girl that he will find the killer. Jerry doesn't believe the police arrested the right man; he discovers this is the third incident in the area in the recent past with victims young, blond, pretty, and small for their age. So he buys an old gas station in the mountains near the crimes in order to search for a tall man who drives a black station wagon, gives toy porcupines as gifts, and calls himself the wizard: clues from a drawing by the dead girl. Jerry's solitary life gives way to friendship with a woman and her small, blond daughter. Has Jerry neglected something that may prove fatal?

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Plot Keywords:

police | pledge | gas station | porcupine | drawing | 

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Taglines:

Detective Jerry Black has made a promise he can't break, to catch a killer he can't find.

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Genres:

Drama | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site at movies.warnerbros.com

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 January 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Asesino oculto

Filming Locations:

Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£142,100 (UK) (12 October 2001)

Gross:

£732,861 (UK) (9 November 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Morgan Creek Productions, Franchise Pictures, Clyde Is Hungry Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was originally slated to film in Minnesota, but lost out to Canada for budget reasons.

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Goofs

When Jerry is driving through the fences in the field, the window trim is damaged and the side mirror is turned inwards. However in the last scene but one, the car loses all its battle damage and the mirror is again straight. Not only that, but the big "cowcatcher" also disappears and the sunroof which previously was closed, is now open. As Jerry comes to a halt at the church, everything is as it should be.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jerry Black: She said it. She said it. She did.

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Crazy Credits

In memory of our Brothers In Arms Michael D. Haller and Jack Nitzsche

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Connections

References Five Easy Pieces (1970)

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Soundtracks

"Why"
Written and Performed by David Baerwald
Courtesy of Pale Rider Inc.

User Reviews

It's great to see professionals at work

I'm not that crazy about the story, which has been put to film at least twice before. (I think the other movie is The Cold Light of Day.) In the other movie, which was set in one of the Soviet bloc countries, there was also a serial killer after young girls, and the detective makes the morally questionable decision to put a girlfriends daughter unknowingly at risk to use as bait. The swingset for the girl beside the road (where the killer would be sure to see her) was copied over from the novel.

For sheer moviemaking prowess, though, this team of actors and Penn as the director is unbeatable. Every performance comes across with perfect sincerity and you forget you are looking at famous actors. There are some surreal touches as well, when bit players from the early part show up on screen late in the story with non speaking roles.

Four stars. Even if you don't like Jack Nicholson.