Jake is private investigator lured into a dangerous plot to divert Los Angeles' water reserves.

The above description almost makes Chinatown seem boring. It isn't. It is another expertly paced Polanski film. Deceptive women and shifty characters run aplenty here. And we have a really good sense of Jake, the PI too. He's a great character, humanly flawed, but street smart and ferocious just the same.

Not as richly paced as many modern crime tales, but the noir-like style goes a long way.

Look for Polanski in a cameo role. Won Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

Directed by Roman Polanski.

Also available: The Two Jakes.