"Sean Penn is an outstanding director and I'm betting he gets the best performance we've seen from Robert De Niro in 15 years. Watching De Niro overact in the tradition of his pal Al Pacino has been more than a little heartbreaking. But Penn was able to direct scenery-chewer Jack Nicholson into one of his best performances in The Pledge, a near-masterpiece everyone should see regardless of your personal feelings about Penn. No doubt, Sean Penn is an asshole, but he's an asshole capable of telling superb, character-driven stories that stay with you long after the lights come up." Well, it's something. [Big Hollywood]
Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter.
Follow Movieline on Twitter.
