Chinatown

CrimeMysteryThriller4.0

Private eye Jake Gittes lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together.

June 20, 1974 · Directed by Roman Polanski

A simple estimate based mostly on pace, with small nudges for flow, payoff speed, and how much keeps happening. Rounded to the nearest 5 minutes.

Runtime2h 10m

→

Feels like2h 5m

↓ shorter

Your score

Find out if you'll actually like Chinatown

Answer a few quick questions, then see your score and recommendations.

Start questions I already answered

Your logSeen Chinatown?

What's been said

Where this movie sits

How it's told

Pace. Slow burn or propulsive. How much patience the film asks of you.
Complexity. Straightforward or demanding. Whether you can sink in, or have to keep up.

What it feels like

Tone. Light or heavy. Whether it plays for fun or for weight.
Emotionality. Restrained or openly emotional. How much it reaches for your feelings.
Outlook. Bleak or hopeful. What it believes about people when it counts.
Intensity. Gentle or provocative. How far it is willing to push you.

What it's grounded in

Realism. Stylized or grounded. Whether it feels larger than life or plausibly real.
Substance. Pure entertainment or ideas. Whether you want a ride or something to chew on.

low endmiddlehigh end

How it's told

Pace

Complexity

What it feels like

Tone

Emotionality

Outlook

Intensity

What it's grounded in

Realism

Substance