The Border

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The Border

R

Released Jan 29, 1982

1h 47m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

65%

Tomatometer

26 Reviews

52%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Charlie Smith (Jack Nicholson) barely scrapes by on his low salary, but his hectoring wife, Marcy (Valerie Perrine), is anxious to move up in the world, so he takes a new position as a border patrol agent alongside the hair-trigger Cat (Harvey Keitel). Soon, Charlie is a reluctant party to Cat's smuggling and other petty criminal actions, but when the corrupt agent sets his avaricious sights on a poor illegal immigrant (Elpidia Carrillo) and her newborn baby, Charlie's moral code returns.

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Critics Consensus

It makes frustratingly facile work of its thorny premise, but Jack Nicholson's gritty lead performance keeps The Border worth watching.

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Michael Maza

Arizona Republic

The Border splashes around in the shallows on both sides of the Rio Grande, never more than ankle-deep in the problems or drama of illegal immigration.

Aug 6, 2021

Full Review

Jack Mathews

Detroit Free Press

Jack Nicholson gives his best starring performance since "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" as a soul-searching U.S. border patrolman...

Rated: 3/4

Aug 6, 2021

Full Review

Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

Nicholson's best leading role since he won the Oscar for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" six years ago.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 6, 2021

Full Review

George Williams

Sacramento Bee

Jack Nicholson gives his most satisfying performance in years, perhaps since "Five Easy Pieces," in "The Border," directed by Tony Richardson.

Aug 6, 2021

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Malcolm Johnson

Hartford Courant

The three disparate styles that play against one another in "The Border" give this film much of its interest and density, but not without an occasional sense that gears are grinding a bit.

Aug 6, 2021

Full Review

Patrick Taggart

Austin American-Statesman

Nicholson is there with his cigarette and wild hair and his clenched-teeth sincerity to make it all okay.

Aug 6, 2021

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Christopher S

(warning: plot spoiler) Life at the border is painted as a bleak, dangerous, nasty world, where the value of human life is negligible. Nicholson is married to a narcissist, and to make her happy transfers to El Paso's border patrol. He quickly finds it is rife with corrupt leadership, and there's no way for him to do his job without getting people killed. His is an ethical struggle where he is forced to make one compromise after another. Eventually he finds his salvation in trying to help a young mother. By today's standards, this movie is spare, and leaves room for their audience to decipher for themselves the emotional weight the characters are carrying, seen in small glances, pauses and the like. And it is heavy. Halfway through I began to get the feeling of hopelessness, despair, everything was just so awful, but it ends with a beautiful moment.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/29/23

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Steve D

Nicholson's character is so detestable (and he is the GOOD guy) it is hard to watch

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/21/23

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william k

Adequate thriller is tough and suspenseful exposing police corruption and the downfalls of lower middle-class American life; once again, Jack Nicholson delivers a strong performance.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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delysid d

its not the most exciting

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/25/21

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Audience Member

This dark and gritty moral drama loses it's nerve come the third act, however, an excellent performance from Jack Nicholson holds it all together and The Border remains never less than watchable.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

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Audience Member

Saw with Mrs Blobbo at the show when came out. Enjoyed, remember Blobbo.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

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Tony Richardson

Director

Jack Nicholson

Charlie Smith

Harvey Keitel

Cat

Valerie Perrine

Marcy

Warren Oates

Red

Elpidia Carrillo

Maria

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Synopsis

Charlie Smith (Jack Nicholson) barely scrapes by on his low salary, but his hectoring wife, Marcy (Valerie Perrine), is anxious to move up in the world, so he takes a new position as a border patrol agent alongside the hair-trigger Cat (Harvey Keitel). Soon, Charlie is a reluctant party to Cat's smuggling and other petty criminal actions, but when the corrupt agent sets his avaricious sights on a poor illegal immigrant (Elpidia Carrillo) and her newborn baby, Charlie's moral code returns.

Director: Tony Richardson
Producer: Edgar Bronfman
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal/Universal Int
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 29, 1982, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Runtime: 1h 47m

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