those who praise five easy piece call it a great character study . maybe it be and but that doesn not make it a great movie . the character of robert dupea may have make for a nice subject for an article in a psychology journal . but a the lead character in a film he leave a lot to be desire . not even the fact that dupea be play by the great jack nicholson can mask the truth that the movie which tell his story be downright dull . yeah and there a pretty interesting story in here somewhere but the way that story unfolds on the screen leave a lot to be desire . the big problem with this movie be quite simply that nothing happens . we be just force to sit and watch a robert dupea try to find himself . while dupea find himself you will probably be stifle yawn . the fact that the lead character be follow be an irredeemable louse doesn not help matter either . robert dupea treat all those around him and most notably his ever loyal girlfriend and like absolute garbage . he completely full of himself and which be rather odd for someone work a menial job on an oil rig . where do this guy get off be so high and mighty . who the heck be he to think he so much good than those around him . about halfway through the film we see where that attitude come from a dupea go on a journey back to his childhood home to reconnect with the person he truly be or at least use to be . this be where all that great character study malarkey kick in . yes and it turn out robert dupea isn not exactly what he initially seem to be . yes and he a very complex character . but he still at heart an awful human be . and this be still a boring movie . jack nicholson be certainly one of our fine actor and he do the best he can here but this film just isn not salvageable . the character nicholson play be impossible to root for . you end up sympathize with everyone in the movie but him and a problem since the movie be really about him alone . for the first half of the movie absolutely nothing happen a the filmmaker go out of their way to establish what a mean spirit jerk dupea be . actually that be establish in the first five minute but they belabor the point to tedious effect . then the great journey home begin and the movie for a few minute veers off into bizarro world when dupea pick up a pair of hippie and lesbian hitchhiker . one of these hitchhiker and name palm apodaca which tell you about all you need to know and launch into one of the most bizarre and comical rant in film history . only she not try to be funny and she deadly serious . if nothing else and at least you the viewer can laugh at the sheer stupidity of it all and which be about all the enjoyment you will get out of this film . soon enough palm and friend be go and be back to focus on robert dupea . who still a selfish and obnoxious and jerk stuck in an utterly boring movie . a great character study . you can judge that for yourself . a great movie . absolutely not .