Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Hidden Agenda

Play trailer Poster for Hidden Agenda R 1990 1h 48m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
86% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
In Ireland, American lawyer Ingrid Jessner (Frances McDormand) and her activist partner, Paul Sullivan (Brad Dourif), struggle to uncover atrocities committed by the British government against the Northern Irish during the "Troubles." But when Sullivan is assassinated in the streets, Jessner teams up with Peter Kerrigan (Brian Cox), a British investigator acting against the will of his own government, and struggles to uncover a conspiracy that may even implicate one of Kerrigan's colleagues.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Hidden Agenda

Critics Reviews

View More
Variety Staff Variety 03/26/2009
Though it attempts to make an acceptable theatrical entertainment out of a complex political saga, Hidden Agenda lacks bigscreen impact. Go to Full Review Stephen Garrett Time Out 06/24/2006
There's plenty of evidence of Loach's undiminished power as a film-maker, and equally ample evidence that something is very rotten in the state of Northern Ireland. Go to Full Review Caryn James New York Times 05/20/2003
3.5/5
This quietly explosive film comes to resonate more loudly than melodrama. Go to Full Review Farah Cheded A Good Movie To Watch 10/28/2023
A fascinating look at the slippery slope to complicity, this is a gripping, unabashedly ideological conspiracy thriller blending Hollywood polish with gritty reality. Go to Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com 10/20/2020
3/5
Hidden Agenda does sometimes feel like rather talky stage-play, but thanks to an increasingly emotive performance from Cox, the film manages to break into some energetic moments. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 05/26/2020
A
Moving fictionalized political thriller that's based on fact. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
06/23/2020 A decent, fairly gripping and well-acted, yet slow-moving and conventional political thriller. The most disappointing thing about it, though, is that it—based on what I've seen by him thus far—doesn't feel like a Ken Loach film. (7/10) See more 04/14/2017 Drawn out but well written. See more 12/13/2014 This should have broken out of the American Art House circuit and gotten a fist full of Oscar noms. The most underrated film of 1990. Essential. See more 07/13/2014 The conflict surrounding Northern Ireland will never be understandable. This film portrays one incident - true or not - and captures the spirit and emotions and terror in Belfast in the early 80s. It's political. It's good. See more 04/29/2013 Brian Cox is immense in this fine political thriller from legendary British director Ken Loach. Set in Ulster during the troubles it mainly focuses on the British governments shoot to kill policy. Cox stars as the dectective hired to investigate the murder of an American human rights lawyer. Frances McDormand offers fine support as they both set out to recover a missing tape that can expose Thatchers government. See more 09/02/2012 Good film with some very good performances by the cast. See more Read all reviews
Hidden Agenda

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Ken Loach

Director

Frances McDormand

Ingrid Jessner

Brian Cox

Kerrigan

Brad Dourif

Paul Sullivan

Mai Zetterling

Moa

Bernard Bloch

Henri

More Like This

View All
Liebestraum 45% 48% Liebestraum Watchlist Last Embrace 58% 33% Last Embrace Watchlist Hypnotic 44% 35% Hypnotic Watchlist White of the Eye 50% 56% White of the Eye Watchlist Black and White 20% 28% Black and White Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Hidden Agenda

Hidden Agenda (1990) Hidden Agenda (1990) Hidden Agenda (1990) Hidden Agenda (1990) Hidden Agenda (1990) Hidden Agenda (1990) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In Ireland, American lawyer Ingrid Jessner (Frances McDormand) and her activist partner, Paul Sullivan (Brad Dourif), struggle to uncover atrocities committed by the British government against the Northern Irish during the "Troubles." But when Sullivan is assassinated in the streets, Jessner teams up with Peter Kerrigan (Brian Cox), a British investigator acting against the will of his own government, and struggles to uncover a conspiracy that may even implicate one of Kerrigan's colleagues.
Director
Ken Loach
Producer
Eric Fellner
Production Co
Hemdale, Initial
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$69.2K
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Surround
Most Popular at Home Now