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John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Ray Walston, Casey Siemaszko, Sherilyn Fenn ... see more see more... , John Terry , Richard Riehle , Alexis Arquette , Joe Morton , Noble Willingham , Mark Boone Jr. , Moira Harris , Tuck Milligan , David Steen , Joe D'Angerio

Gary Sinese directed this respectful re-telling of John Steinbeck's classic novel, with Sinese as the wily George and John Malkovich as the brutish, simple-minded Lennie. Set during the Depression era... read more read more..., the film opens as George and Lennie are running from a woman with a torn dress, who has sent a gang of ruffians to chase the two out of the county. After a long bus ride and a ten-mile walk, George and Lennie arrive at a migrant farm in California's San Joaquin Valley, where they seek work. George dreams of putting together enough money to buy a small piece of land where he and Lennie can build a home; he hopes that in California the two can realize their dream. Unfortunately, the foreman of the ranch, Curley (Casey Siemaszko), enjoys tormenting Lennie, while Curley's frustrated wife (Sherilyn Fenn) entices Lennie with her sexual allure. George warns Lennie to steer clear of Curley's wife, but Lennie follows her to a barn where a tragedy occurs and George and Lennie's dreams are shattered. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Flixster Users

77% liked it

45,022 ratings

Critics

96% liked it

26 critics

DVD Release Date: November 6, 2001

Stats: 2,146 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,146)


  • fb732260458
    March 21, 2011
    fb732260458
    A captivating film about the value of friendship during even the harshest of times. Inspired performances from both Gary Sinise and John Malkovich aid in making this adaptation an instant-classic.
  • August 9, 2010
    Gary Sinise and John Malkovich are perfect, but the obsessiveness and strange use of pauses irks me.
  • fb733768972
    April 25, 2010
    fb733768972
    Astonishing! I loved the book. It is one of the few books that I have gone through in school, and actually liked. The movie made it that much better. The characters were portrayed perfectly. The execution was amazing and sad, and I was left 100% satisfied!
  • December 7, 2009
    A completely faithful adaption of Steinbeck's classic. It has an incredible performance from John Malkovich as Lenny and a good effort from Gary Sinise. While the music and production value is a little cheesy, it doesn't seem to hurt the enjoyable nature of the film.
  • November 7, 2009
    An interesting adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic novel, highlighted by strong performances from Gary Sinise and John Malkovich.
  • August 15, 2009
    I had to read Of Mice and Men in high school and I liked the book so I figured I would watch the movie one day. Very few movies even come close to being as good as the book, but Of Mice and Men is an exception. Gary Sinise and John Malkovich play great roles as Lenny and George i... read moren the movie as do the ones that play Slim, Candy, and Curley.
    Gary Sinise couldn't have done a much better job directing the movie to be just like the book. Of Mice and Men is one of the best novel to movie translations ever. If you liked the book and even if you haven't ever read it, this is one movie worth getting anytime. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. You know how you always dread having to read books for a class in high school? Well, the book was short, but at the end I was wishing it'd been longer...same for this movie! Both are great - excellent adaptation.
  • July 20, 2008
    a well done effort here, if only because the producers reached so high in attempting steinbeck's classic consideration of what could be most important after we take care of the basics, like survival...how we care for each other? sinise is better than i first thought he could be,... read more and walston is always a fine addition to any work he is in, but this is malkovich's show as he literally shines as the simple lenny...
  • March 12, 2008
    An entertaining and decent adaptation, but far from being the best. The performances and the cast are what make this movie.
  • November 5, 2007
    its ok
    its interesting and gives you a look at what it was like back then but the ending is a bit rushed i felt but diffenertly worth a watch
  • May 28, 2007
    gary sinise is AMAAZINg in this movie. one of the few movies that can make me cry.

Critic Reviews


Todd McCarthy
June 3, 2008
Todd McCarthy, Variety

Well-mounted and very traditional, Of Mice and Men honorably serves John Steinbeck's classic story of two Depression-era drifters without bringing anything new to it. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Of Mice and Men is a mournful, distantly heard lament for the loss of American innocence. Full Review

Megan Rosenfeld
January 1, 2000
Megan Rosenfeld, Washington Post

Happily, director/star/co-producer Gary Sinise has approached it not with the awe of an English professor, but with the practical eye of a craftsman: Here are solid characters, a taut and emotional st... Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

I would not have thought I could believe the line about the rabbits one more time, but this movie made me do it, as Lennie asks about the farm they'll own one day, and George says, yes, it will be jus... Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

The great pleasure of this movie is in what performers Sinise and John Malkovich, Ray Walton and others do with it; what director Sinise does with it; and, perhaps most important, what screenwriter Ho... Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
October 2, 1992
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

The new film version of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is lyrical, stirring, and beautifully acted -- a seamless adaptation of a novel many will recall with almost too much familiarity. Full Review

Scott G. Mignola
January 2, 2011
Scott G. Mignola, Common Sense Media

Elegant adaptation of Steinbeck's classic novel. Full Review

Rob Thomas
April 28, 2006
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)

Superb Steinbeck adaptation that gets at the meat of the tale.

Steve Crum
April 20, 2006
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Fine, studied treatment by Gary Sinise and John Malkovich.

January 26, 2006
Time Out

It's hard ... to believe Malkovich's shamble and gape, a simian variant on Dustin Hoffman's Rain Man. Full Review

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Facts


    • George: Get him Lennie!

Of Mice and Men : Watch Free on TV


Of Mice and Men Trivia


  • In which film do the main characters dream of getting their own place?  Answer »
  • in what movie feature the characters George and Lennie   Answer »
  • In the movie Of Mice And Men, who ends up shooting Lennie?  Answer »
  • This movies is based on a classic John Steinbeck novel with The Depression as the setting. Gary Sinese (actor, director, co-producer), John Malkowitch (large, simple minded Lenny), also Ray Walston and Sherilyn Fenn. Title of movie is __  Answer »

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