Jacknife

"Three buddies in Vietnam. Two survived. Only one is really alive."

1989 1h 42m EN

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 142

DramaWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A conflict develops between a troubled Vietnam veteran and the sister he lives with when she becomes involved romantically with the army buddy who reminds him of the tragic battle they both survived.

“Three buddies in Vietnam. Two survived. Only one is really alive.”

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Cast

Robert De Niro
Joseph 'Jacknife' Megessey
Kathy Baker
Martha Flannigan
Ed Harris
David 'High School' Flannigan
Ivar Brogger
Depot Mechanic
Jordan Lund
Tiny
Charles S. Dutton
Jake, Veteran Encounter Group Leader
Bruce Ramsay
Corridor Student
Jessalyn Gilsig
His Girlfriend

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: David Hugh Jones
Writers: Stephen Metcalfe
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by David Hugh Jones, shot by Brian West. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Bruce Broughton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor John Bloom shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Robert De Niro and Kathy Baker and Ed Harris carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Three buddies in Vietnam. Two survived. Only one is really alive.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0097607 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

David Hugh Jones directs. Brian West behind the camera. Bruce Broughton scores. John Bloom cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

137 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by David Hugh Jones, shot by Brian West. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Bruce Broughton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor John Bloom shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Robert De Niro and Kathy Baker and Ed Harris carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Three buddies in Vietnam. Two survived. Only one is really alive.".
7IMDB entry: tt0097607 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Brian West
Original score: Bruce Broughton
Editing: John Bloom
Production design: Edward Pisoni
Runtime: 102 min · 1h 42m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Jacknife (1989)

Also by

David Hugh Jones

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2014-04-19
★ 7/10
Dave, Megs and Martha. Jacknife is directed by David Jones and adapted to screenplay by Stephen Metcalfe from his own play Strange Snow. It stars Robert De Niro, Ed Harris and Kathy Baker. Music is by Bruce Broughton and cinematography by Brian West. De Niro and Harris play two Vietnam War veterans trying to come to terms with their lives post the war. Things are further complicated when De Niro gets romantically involved with Harris sister played by Baker. Wonderfully sedate and intimate, Jacknife, whilst not creating anything new in the “coming home from Nam” genre of film, is somewhat refreshing in how it relies on dialogue and believable character interactions. Some cliches do find their way into the play later in the day as Harris’ character starts to come out of is troubled shell, but this is mostly a thoughtful treatment of loneliness and the on going effects of the war. The three up top performances are well delivered, with De Niro unsurprisingly carrying the film with ease. A box office flop on release, there’s a good chance that Jones’ film came too late in the Vietnam War movie cycle. It’s also safe to say that the slow pace and the dialogue heavy nature of it made it only appealing to a certain demographic of film lovers. It’s worth seeking out now as an anti-dote to blunderbuss blockbusters, because it’s good film making that has a story that is touching and often humorous, and for many of a certain era, it’s all too real. 7/10
kevin20192025-06-06
★ 10/10
"Jacknife" is based upon the stage play "Strange Snow" by Stephen Metcalfe and yet it has been very skilfully adapted into a screenplay which allows the many meaningful character moments to be subtly played out. Its depiction of the veterans who fought in Vietnam paints a portrait of damaged men now struggling to maintain at least a semblance of the normality they once took for granted in a world which once enthusiastically jeered and spat upon them. The legacy of that deeply contentious war is soul destroying where every day must seem to be trying to find a reason to go on living such a haunted life. This is certainly an extremely thought provoking and emotional film which attempts to give some meaning and understanding to the people coming to terms with the after effects of war.