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True Colors

Play trailer Poster for True Colors R Released Mar 15, 1991 1h 52m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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44% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 45% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
College roommates Tim Gerrity (James Spader) and Peter Burton (John Cusack) seem as if they'll be friends forever despite their class differences. Tim comes from a privileged family, while Peter's roots are solidly blue-collar. But a rift develops between them when Peter pursues a political career with such wild ambition that he will go to any lengths -- including blackmail -- to get ahead. As the betrayals mount, Tim resolves to stop Peter's rush to power before it's too late.
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True Colors

Critics Reviews

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Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: D+ Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Steve Davis Austin Chronicle The painstakingly obvious screenplay by Kevin Wade (Working Girl) plays like an eighth-grade civics primer: ethics and morality are good, greed and corruption are bad. Rated: 1.5/5 May 20, 2006 Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times True Colors apparently thinks it is exposing the values of the greedy 1980's. Yet its own understanding of moral conduct is warped. Rated: 2/5 May 20, 2003 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...a progressively engrossing drama... Rated: 3/4 Jul 29, 2023 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) The film, aside from improbability, is hypocritical. [Full review in Spanish] Jan 26, 2023 Full Review Grant Watson Fiction Machine Herbert Ross’ political drama True Colors has a weak screenplay, humdrum direction, and a white-guy-sax musical score that refuses to ever end, but its two lead performances almost manage to save it. Almost, but not quite. Rated: 4/10 Oct 4, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steve D The talent is clearly in front of the camera. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member True Colors is an alright movie- like a diversion and would seem cheesy by today's standards. These films were so common in the time it was made you can call it a product of its time. John Cusack and James Spader play friends from opposite sides of the street- one rich the other poor. Cusack is good as the scheming friend with an ulterior motive and the film never really becomes too saccharine. A good afternoon diversion but there is other Cusack or Spader movie you can consider if you want to watch their work. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Audience Member I shall say, betrayal could well be of human nature. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Fair enough, but wasn't really interested of its American politics backdrop. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Give and take between two upcoming young actors is worth the time to watch Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Frances H Rather trite, but entertaining. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 12/07/14 Full Review Read all reviews
True Colors

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Cast & Crew

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Herbert Ross

Director

John Cusack

Peter Burton

James Spader

Tim Gerrity

Imogen Stubbs

Diana Stiles

Mandy Patinkin

John Palmeri

Richard Widmark

Sen. Stiles

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True Colors

True Colors (1991) True Colors (1991) True Colors (1991) True Colors (1991) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis College roommates Tim Gerrity (James Spader) and Peter Burton (John Cusack) seem as if they'll be friends forever despite their class differences. Tim comes from a privileged family, while Peter's roots are solidly blue-collar. But a rift develops between them when Peter pursues a political career with such wild ambition that he will go to any lengths -- including blackmail -- to get ahead. As the betrayals mount, Tim resolves to stop Peter's rush to power before it's too late.
Director
Herbert Ross
Producer
Laurence Mark, Herbert Ross
Screenwriter
Kevin Wade
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 15, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 21, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$304.5K
Runtime
1h 52m
Sound Mix
Dolby, Surround
Aspect Ratio
35mm
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