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Timothy Hutton, Sean Penn, David Suchet, Lori Singer, Pat Hingle ... see more see more... , Dorian Harewood , Richard Dysart , Mady Kaplan , Macon McCalman , Boris Leskin , George C. Grant , Jennifer Runyon , Joyce Van Patten , Priscilla Pointer , Chris Makepeace , Burke Byrnes , Philip Carey , Anatoly Davydov , Abel Franco , Jaime Garza , Stanley Grover , Jerry Hardin , Lara Harris , Betty Lou Henson , Sam Ingraffia , Michael Ironside , Raul Martinez , Daniel McDonald , Marvin J. McIntyre , Tom Nolan , Vic Polizos , Nicholas Pryor , Guillermo Ríos , Carlos Romano , Drew Snyder , Karen West , Valerie Wildman , Stephen E. Miller , Bob Nelson , Bob Arbogast , George Belanger , Martha Campos , Arturo Comacho , Steve Duffy , Leopoldo Francés , James Hardie , Annie Kozuch , Rob Newell , Rob Reed , Jeff Seyfried , Arthur Taxier , Herbie Wallace , Richard A. Dysart

John Schlesinger directed this fact-based drama - adapted from Robert Lindsay's bestseller of the same title -- about two Californians, friends since boyhood, who are caught selling government secrets... read more read more... to the Soviet Union. Christopher Boyce (Timothy Hutton) is an all-American boy, studying for the priesthood in a seminary. But Boyce decides to drop out of school, and with the help of his father (Pat Hingle), a FBI agent, he gets a job working for the CIA in a message-routing center. While reading the messages, Boyce is shocked to learn that the CIA is involved in fixing Australian elections. Watching the Watergate hearings on television, he feels an ever-mounting sense of outrage at the arrogance of the U.S. government and decides to do something about it. Deciding to supply the CIA messages to the Russians, he enlists his childhood friend Daulton Lee (Sean Penn) to help him. Lee is to deliver the CIA secrets to a Russian operative (David Suchet) at the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City. But Lee is an unreliable drug dealer, and his sloppy spy trail leads the two old friends into more trouble than they bargained for. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Flixster Users

62% liked it

5,686 ratings

Critics

87% liked it

15 critics

R, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: John Schlesinger

Release Date: January 25, 1985

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DVD Release Date: August 15, 2001

Stats: 201 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (201)

  • TheDudeLebowski65
    July 8, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    The Falcon and the snowman is fairly good thriller. The story surrounds two friends who sell U.S government secrets to the Soviet Union. The Falcon and the Snowman has a good mix of drama thrown into it's real life thrilling story. The acting by Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton is v... read moreery good. But by today's stndards with the Cold War over, the film looks dated of course. However there's something still appealing, and interesting about this story. The film is not perfect by any means, and does look a little cheap, but for what it is, The Falcon and the Snowman is a thriller worth watching. For the espionage buff and the cold war buffs out there, The Falcon and the Snowman is a very interesting film and will definitely appeal to them. There are of course better thrillers out there, but this is still a very engaging film with tense moments But considering that this was made in the 80's, what do you expect? A good, entertaining thriller, but it's nothing truly groundbreaking or really memorable. I've seen a lot better. I wasn't disappointed in the film, as I knew what to expect, but what is a little irritating is how much praise the film has gotten. I view it as an average good thriller with good acting. But some critiques of the film have gone overboard and prtaising it and saying it was a pulse pounding film. It was, but it lacked also enough fire in it's belly to make this truly a remarkable film.
  • michaelcorleone
    August 11, 2010
    michaelcorleone
    Badly dated, but still a mostly solid political thriller with sure-handed direction by John Schlesinger. Zaillian's screenplay isn't perfect, but it moves at an effective pace and works well for the most part. Features great acting from Timothy Hutton and a young Sean Penn.
  • sportsphenom1
    October 3, 2009
    sportsphenom1
    This movie looks and "feels" outdated, really "80ish". At times I felt like I was watching a TV show from that era. That aside, the story is a bit slow, but Daulton Lee's character (played by Sean Penn) is too captivating to resist this movie. As he ups the stakes of the game, h... read moree manages to continue weaseling his way out of binds with his smooth-talking, savvy, rhetorical tactics. In an "Informant" kind of way, this has plenty of entertainment value. Schlesinger really seals the deal with a finely directed and edited climax that helps this story come full circle and sheds light on the ways the characters come to term with their actions.
  • brownrecluse62
    March 11, 2008
    brownrecluse62
    What an odd movie - an espionage thriller essentially about two kids on a lark. Part of this is a reasonably good thriller; another part is laughably cheesy, with young Sean Penn whining his ass off as the mixed-up drug dealer/would-be spy. The film is so inescapably eighties; it... read more even has the chick from 'Footloose.'
  • jennalynde
    April 25, 2007
    jennalynde
    I loved this movie and especially Bowie "This is not America" theme song when I first saw it years ago, but wasn't even slightly enchanted the second time.
  • tarkus72
    January 10, 2007
    tarkus72
    "You fuck with us, accept the consequences." Fact based story about a government agent & a drug dealer who were giving U.S. Top Secret Government Documents to the Russian Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico from 1974 to 1977.

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Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz
December 5, 2005
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Though Penn and Hutton perform admirably, the film fails to be interesting. Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
August 21, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

An exercise in vagueness.

Rich Cline
July 19, 2004
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

intriguing but a bit dry

Rob Thomas
October 2, 2003
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)

A smart, nuanced spy thriller that's all about the gray areas.

Scott Weinberg
July 25, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Fresh and invigorating political thriller.

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Vincent Canby
August 30, 2004
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Cole Smithey
November 4, 2007
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com

No review available.

Eric Melin
September 29, 2006
Eric Melin, Scene-Stealers.com

No review available.

Jules Brenner
July 29, 2005
Jules Brenner, Cinema Signals

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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