The Long Walk Home

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The Long Walk Home

PG

1990

1h 37m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

88%

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17 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Odessa Carter (Whoopi Goldberg) needs to get to work as a nanny in the home of the affluent Miriam Thompson (Sissy Spacek), but she refuses to take the bus. Odessa is participating in the Montgomery bus boycott, protesting against the inequality between blacks and whites, so Miriam decides to offer Odessa a ride to work every day. Though the community and Miriam's husband (Dwight Schultz) insist she not get involved, the relationship between Miriam and Odessa has already changed for the better.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

The understated passion of The Long Walk Home sneaks up on your emotions.

Feb 6, 2018

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Suffers from too much focus on the white characters, but still an important story, respectfully told.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 1, 2004

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Both heroines end up walking hand in hand in an emotional finally that is dangerously predictable. [Full review in Spanish]

Aug 2, 2023

Full Review

Tim Brayton

Alternate Ending

There are enough strengths to make the whole movie feel a little bit more pedestrian for not being able to capitalise on them more.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 17, 2021

Full Review

Tracy Moore

Common Sense Media

Moving Civil Rights story heavy on "N" word but uplifting.

Rated: 3/5

May 13, 2014

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Rosana B

Sissy Spacek e Whoopi Goldberg maravilhosas, um filme que doí na alma, faz nosso coraçãozinho sangrar de tanta tristeza, impossível mensurar o tamanho da dor que o preconceito causa na alma das vítimas... Que filme maravilhoso, um drama sensível, muito bem estruturado e desenvolvido, toca em tantas feridas e diferentes modos, impossível ficar apático diante de tanta revolta... E que desfecho, final emocionante, nos deixa angustiada e não faz chorar dolorosamente... Inquietante e Apaixonante.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/28/24

Full Review

Paige W

Whoopi is a gem….a silent but powerful presence and poise when she acts in this movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/15/24

Full Review

Sean M

I was just going to watch the intro and see how it went and had low expectations. Ended up watching the whole thing. The story gripped me and the movie was actually really good.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/10/23

Full Review

Robert S

cried like a baby, what an incredible movie with so much heart. Sissy Spacek is absolutely incredible and a performance by Whoopi Goldberg that is wildly underrated so much heart, dignity, and grace.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

steve d

Not really worth the trip thanks to an overreliance on white saviorism.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Really well considered approach to showing what the bus boycott meant to people of its time, as well as its place in history with regards instigating changes in society. It's not wild and dramatic, but objective. The writing is pitched at the right level, and the director was obviously compassionate

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

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Richard Pearce

Director

Sissy Spacek

Miriam Thompson

Whoopi Goldberg

Odessa Cotter

Dwight Schultz

Norman Thompson

Ving Rhames

Herbert Cotter

Dylan Baker

Tunker Thompson

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Synopsis

Odessa Carter (Whoopi Goldberg) needs to get to work as a nanny in the home of the affluent Miriam Thompson (Sissy Spacek), but she refuses to take the bus. Odessa is participating in the Montgomery bus boycott, protesting against the inequality between blacks and whites, so Miriam decides to offer Odessa a ride to work every day. Though the community and Miriam's husband (Dwight Schultz) insist she not get involved, the relationship between Miriam and Odessa has already changed for the better.

Director: Richard Pearce
Producer: Hawk Koch, Dave Bell
Screenwriter: John Cork
Production Co: New Vision Films, Dave Bell Associates
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.8M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Surround

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