No Way Out

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No Way Out

R

1987

1h 53m

Mystery & Thriller

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

49 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Navy Lt. Tom Farrell (Kevin Costner) meets a young woman, Susan Atwell (Sean Young), and they share a passionate fling. Farrell then finds out that his superior, Defense Secretary David Brice (Gene Hackman), is also romantically involved with Atwell. When the young woman turns up dead, Farrell is put in charge of the murder investigation. He begins to uncover shocking clues about the case, but when details of his encounter with Susan surface, he becomes a suspect as well.

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Critics Consensus

Roger Donaldson's modern spin on the dense, stylish suspense films of the 1940s features fine work from Gene Hackman and Sean Young, as well as the career-making performance that made Kevin Costner a star.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

While the film's behind-the-scenes look into the world of Washington bureaucracy is appealing, the movie is a complete letdown as a thriller, dissolving into implausible silliness.

Jul 29, 2013

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Tribune

No Way Out emerges, paradoxically, as a film that is better than it has to be and not as good as it ought to be, but there is skill here, as well as an admirable willingness to try something new.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 29, 2013

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Good performances from a strong cast and paranoid plotting enough to keep even the staunchest of remake nay-sayers quiet. Hitchockian production with a modern twist.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 29, 2013

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

The finale is unforgettable, though not in a particularly satisfying way.

Rated: 6/10

Feb 6, 2025

Full Review

Savina Petkova

A Good Movie To Watch

No Way Back is a symbol of this transitional period, but by retaining the classic noir vibe (deception, fleeing, yearning), it becomes a tribute to the past.

Rated: 78/100

Nov 24, 2023

Full Review

Molly Haskell

Video Review

This stunning thriller about a murder and an elaborate cover-up in present-day Washington power circles was one of the best movies of 1987 and, to my mind, an all-time classic.

Rated: 4/4

Aug 5, 2022

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Audience Member

Hackman was best part of this film, but not enough camera time. Costner and Young were good. I even liked the cheesy 80s sound track. The script was not good. No one to root for. Too many plot twists. The storyline was pretty thin. Wanted to like the film more than I did.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/19/25

Full Review

Johannes S

Solid thriller with a nice twist at the end.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/29/25

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ed m

Really good thriller. Great acting.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/12/24

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Gerald H

I have no idea why this movie gets a high rating. While Hackman is great as ever, Costner‘s and Young‘s acting is pale and without chemistry. Golden Raspberry for Young‘s hairdo as well as the catastrophic 80ies soundtrack.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

10/31/24

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Matt F

Another favorite with a great cast and plot twist ending.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/28/24

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James M

Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise this is a solid well-made movie that will keep you intrigued throughout. You can’t go wrong with the likes of Gene Hackman and Kevin Costner in a starring role. Yes it’s got some 80s type editing but overall this is a very well-made movie not boring at all -you can pretty much believe that anything involving Hackman is going to be halfway decent. This is better than halfway decent

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/17/24

Full Review

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Roger Donaldson

Director

Kevin Costner

Lt. Cmdr. Tom Farrell

Gene Hackman

Defense Secretary David Brice

Sean Young

Susan Atwell

Will Patton

Scott Pritchard

Howard Duff

Senator William "Billy" Duvall

No Way Out: Official Clip - The Inaugural Ball

1:53

No Way Out: Official Clip - National Security

3:08

No Way Out: Official Clip - Sam's Confession

1:27

No Way Out: Official Clip - Secret Affair

1:32

No Way Out: Official Clip - The Job

2:41

No Way Out: Official Clip - Men of Power

3:00

No Way Out: Official Clip - I'm the One in the Picture

1:40

No Way Out: Official Clip - A Hero of the Soviet Union

1:49

No Way Out: Official Clip - The Magnitude of the Scandal

1:57

No Way Out: Official Clip - Tell Me Who It Is!

2:08

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Synopsis

Navy Lt. Tom Farrell (Kevin Costner) meets a young woman, Susan Atwell (Sean Young), and they share a passionate fling. Farrell then finds out that his superior, Defense Secretary David Brice (Gene Hackman), is also romantically involved with Atwell. When the young woman turns up dead, Farrell is put in charge of the murder investigation. He begins to uncover shocking clues about the case, but when details of his encounter with Susan surface, he becomes a suspect as well.

Director: Roger Donaldson
Producer: Laura Ziskin, Robert Garland
Screenwriter: Robert Garland
Production Co: Orion Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 5, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $31.7M
Runtime: 1h 53m
Sound Mix: Surround

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