Instead of a road movie, here we have a railroad movie and I hope Amtrak thanked the filmmaker. Although Nicholson is the best known actor, all three main characters deliver very strong performances. This is a movie of low tones. Two seasoned sailors go on a trip to deliver a convicted clueless young seaman to serve a long sentence. Gradually, the leader played by Nicholson, pities the prisoner and uses the allotted time to allow him to experience many things he will be deprived of for the next eight years. There is pretty accurate depiction of American society during the Nixon years.

Great Nicholson performance. But all so much more of the same. The early ‘70’s Nicholson performances are all very much alike. A snide, foul mouthed, good ole boy. And of course, true to the era and Cuckoos Nest, Jack gets a young man laid as an answer to something. Ashby’s direction is brilliant though. Too bad it all comes out just plain boring.

Loved it. Nicholson superb. Some laugh out loud moments as well as an underlying poignancy. Will be watching it again.

Jack Nicholson has been around so long and left such an incredible legacy on the world of cinema that it’s hard to remember that he was once a plucky up-and-comer, working hard to establish himself with roles in Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces and The Last Detail. In this film, it feels like he was given free range to act out and act up as much as he wanted, and this created the perfect environment for him to play the role of the aptly nicknamed Bad Ass. Much of the film was censored at the time of release, mostly because of the heavy use of curse words, and watching it nowadays reflects just how sensitive they were about it back in the early 70s. It’s a film about male bonding, about maturing in a difficult environment and coming to appreciate and even respect those with who you have seemingly little in common. Baby-faced Randy Quaid is a character you’re supposed to initially dislike because of what he did, but the film gradually reveals his decent nature and optimistic outlook on life, and you come to feel very sorry for him at the end, and the fact he’s separated from the trio so unceremoniously just makes it more painful. It’s Nicholson that really steals the show, displaying the perfect blend of mad, wild-eyed intensity and subtle, brooding sensitivity that came to define his career and make him a screen icon. It’s a film that’s more about the important moments of life than it is about the overall story, and so uncomfortable pauses and awkward encounters are left in so that we get to fully experience what the characters are going through. It’s not held in the same regard as some of Nicholson’s other films, but its one of his most enjoyable roles, and one of the early indicators that he was something special, and that the world should take notice.

Its a really good movie

This idea of ​​the film shooting technique director made the film more attractive to people.

never bored while watching

When sailor Larry Meadows (Randy Quaid) is sentenced to eight years in a New Hampshire prison, Navy lifers Billy Buddusky (Jack Nicholson) and Mule Mulhall (Otis Young) are assigned to escort him there from Virginia. Along the way, they warm up to their prisoner, indulging him in small ways such as making excursions to a brothel, and to his mother's house. As they get closer to their destination, their fondness for Larry makes it harder for them to execute their orders.

This movie was actually fantastic, everyone should watch this asap.

Every single details is example of the professional

Compelling dark comedy about two sailors escorting a third sailor up the east coast in order to serve an unjust prison term. Embodies everything I love about movies from the 70’s.

Take the simple premise of two members of the military, on orders, escorting a naive service member to the brig to serve an eight year sentence for a petty crime and turn it into a subtle examination of authoritarianism.

Absolutely adored this film. One of those great romantic '70s films that focuses on the struggle for human connection in a bureaucratically divided world. I mean it, this film is heartwarming, hilarious and tragic. Robert Towne's writing for these characters is brilliant. It all just feels so real with the film's pace never lagging behind.

Very little to no significant plot in sight but it is obvious the filmmakers were doing something particularly off-the-wall much like John Cassavetes. I'd say Jack Nicholson is the sole reason this detail is truly enjoyable

An enjoyable light hearted, but overrated film that wouldn't be as great if it wasn't for Jack Nicolson.

Excellent acting. I just couldn't get into it in the middle part.

LOL, the funniest 1.75 hours ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excellent drama. Very emotionally powerful.

I absolutely love this movie. This is Jack Nicholson at his best. Randy Quaid is in it he plays the hill Billy cousin on the national Lampoon's vacation. His name is Meadow's and he does a great job playing a whimp who's going away for 8 years for stealing 40 bucks. Jack Nicholson plays the badass and he does such a great job. These three guys go on a detail they'll never forget. This movie is definitely worth a watch. Awesome movie

Navy lifers Signalman First Class Billy "Badass" Buddusky (Jack Nicholson) and Gunner's Mate First Class Richard "Mule" Mulhall (Otis Young) have been given orders they're not happy with: escorting Seaman Larry Meadows (Randy Quaid) to Portsmouth Naval Prison so he can serve eight years in the brig for stealing $40 from a charity fund. They have a week to get him from Virginia to Maine and if they fail, they will be kicked out of the Navy, losing all of their benefits, pay and pension. A funny thing happens. They end up liking the kid and decide to show him a good time before giving him over to serve his sentence. What follows are several episodes in their journey, like Meadows trying to see his mother one last time, ice skating, a bar brawl, an encounter with Buddhists at a party, paying (twice) for Meadows first sexual experience and finally taking him in. With a cast that includes Nancy Allen, Gilda Radner, Luana Anders, Clifton James (Cool Hand Luke and Sheriff J.W. Pepper in Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun), Carol Kane and Michael Moriarty, I'm left wondering, did I cast this movie? When Robert Towne wrote the script, he ended up facing a Hollywood that didn't understand all of the profanity. Then again, there were 342 f words in the first five minutes. Once Jack Nicholson became a star, it became easier to get made, and the actor brought director Hal Ashby on board. The production stalled for a year and a half while the star made The King of Marvin Gardens, with Columbia Pictures' Peter Guber wanting the team to move on and make it with Burt Reynolds, Jim Brown and David Cassidy. Luckily, everyone — including producer Gerry Ayres — stuck together, even when Ashby had a marijuana bust in Canada. Sadly, the script had been written for Nicholson and Rupert Crosse, who died from cancer before the movie could be made. Still, Columbia was unhappy with how long the movie took to edit and how much profanity remained in the final cut. They wanted 26 lines to be cut and at the end, there were 65 uses of the f word, breaking records for swearing. Ashby talked Columbia into previewing the movie for a real audience to see how they would react and they loved it. And then when Nicholson won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival, they finally did a limited release of the film. The actor said, "I like the idea of winning at Cannes with The Last Detail, but not getting our own Academy Award hurt real bad. I did it in that movie, that was my best role."