Trumbo

70

Samuel Goldwyn Films, Red Envelope Entertainment (96 minutes)
and Peter Askin
Joan Allen, Brian Dennehy , Michael Douglas , Paul Giamatti , Nathan Lane , Josh Lucas , Liam Neeson , David Strathairn , and Donald Sutherland

Rating: PG-13 for a sex-related commentary

Summary: Trumbo is a unique, star-studded film about Oscar-winning screenwriter Dalton Trumbo and his heroic journey from Hollywood royalty to blacklisted writer to Academy Award winner. Set against the backdrop of tremendous political unrest, audience will be given a first, emotional account of how this turmoil affected one of Hollywood’s most prolific writers. Based on the play “Trumbo”, by his son Christopher, the film features brilliant readings of some of Trumbo’s extraordinary letters performed by an A list cast, interlaced with period and contemporary interviews, and, rare video shot by his family and friends (The Samuel Goldwyn Films)

Nathan Rabin
The Onion (A.V. Club):
(91) Trumbo sexes up Trumbo's already dramatic story with a massive infusion of star power.

Ken Fox
TV Guide:
(88) Peter Askin's powerful documentary serves as an important reminder of our First Amendment rights, and a tribute to one man who fought to preserve them in the face of Congressional intimidation.

Peter Rainer
Christian Science Monitor:
(83) Family home movies and photos and archival clips round out the film, which holds its hero-worshiping to fairly tolerable levels.

Andrew O'Hehir
Salon.com:
(80) Trumbo is a terrific picture, a blend of interviews and archival footage and readings of Trumbo's letters and speeches.

Stephen Holden
The New York Times:
(80) Today few would dispute Trumbo's assessment of that very dark period: "The blacklist was a time of evil, and no one who survived it on either side came through untouched by evil."

John DeFore
The Hollywood Reporter:
(80) An invigorating, funny, and moving portrait of a Hollywood hero.

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