The Postman Always Rings Twice

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The Postman Always Rings Twice

R

1981

2h 3m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

79%

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14 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Itinerant troublemaker Frank Chambers (Jack Nicholson) has a meal at a roadside restaurant and meets devastating femme fatale Cora Papadakis (Jessica Lange). As it turns out, Cora is married to the restaurant's owner, Nick (John Colicos). Happy to have a visitor, Papadakis offers Chambers a job. Chambers stays on and begins to help himself to whatever he likes -- including Cora. The two dive headlong into a torrid romance and begin to plot the perfect murder.

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Noel Murray

The Dissolve

With its earthy Sven Nykvist cinematography and its emphasis on the character's rumpled clothes and weathered homes, this Postman is like something from the [Bob] Rafelson of 10 years earlier: pensive and realistic.

Rated: 3.5/5

Feb 7, 2014

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The Postman Always Rings Twice is an absolutely superb mounting of a hollow and disappointing production.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 23, 2004

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Jesús Fernández Santos

El Pais (Spain)

The excellent cinematography and well-crafted mise-en-scène guarantee a long shelf-life to this novel. [Full Review in Spanish]

Aug 20, 2019

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Peter Ackroyd

The Spectator

Because there is no consistency of character, and therefore of meaning, the plot lurches around, to the evident bewilderment of the audience; the closing scenes are a terrible mess.

Mar 27, 2018

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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

A heated-up drama about sexual passion and obsession.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 5, 2012

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 4/5

Apr 15, 2008

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Jerod S

Jack and Jessica have a decent chemistry as they plot the death of Jessica's husband and restaurant owner. But, the film is way too long and too tawdry to make an impact beyond a sexual one. It's fun to see A listers in their earlier years, though.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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steve d

ok remake because of its actors,

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

I just don't understand why this movie has excellent reviews. Crazy. The main characters are unappealing and unlikable, especially Frank Chambers. And the sex scene is so unpleasant, not erotic at all, I watched fifty minutes and couldn't take it anymore.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

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Audience Member

Raw, at times uncomfortable, but a little uneven. Powerful performances from Nicholson and Lange.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

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jelisije j

In the pursuit of undying passion and love murder is on the horizon, for a man and a women scheming to kill the innocent husband.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Nicholson and Lange turn in solid enough performances. They definitely capture the fragmented but lustful relationship the story is going for. The story felt a bit choppy and was all over the place at times. A good watch if you’re in the mood for it

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/10/21

Full Review

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Bob Rafelson

Director

Jack Nicholson

Frank Chambers

Jessica Lange

Cora Papadakis

John Colicos

Nick Papadakis

Michael Lerner

Mr. Katz

Christopher Lloyd

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Synopsis

Itinerant troublemaker Frank Chambers (Jack Nicholson) has a meal at a roadside restaurant and meets devastating femme fatale Cora Papadakis (Jessica Lange). As it turns out, Cora is married to the restaurant's owner, Nick (John Colicos). Happy to have a visitor, Papadakis offers Chambers a job. Chambers stays on and begins to help himself to whatever he likes -- including Cora. The two dive headlong into a torrid romance and begin to plot the perfect murder.

Director: Bob Rafelson
Producer: Bob Rafelson, Charles Mulvehill
Screenwriter: David Mamet
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Lorimar Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 1981, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Runtime: 2h 3m

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