Grand Canyon

R

Released Jan 1, 1991

2 hr. 14 min.

Drama

List

79%

38 Reviews

Tomatometer

70%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A diverse group of characters are thrown together through chance encounters while coping with urban chaos in L.A. The main focus is the growing friendship between an immigration lawyer (Kevin Kline) and a tow-truck driver (Danny Glover) who meet when Kline's car breaks down in a crime-ridden neighborhood.

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Tuco P

I love this movie and can watch it over. The story, characters and actors are all engaging and if the story sometimes wanders towards cheesy schmaltz then remember it's a parable set in and around Hollywood and the movies..life is sometimes very sweet, but also very hard and rarely very dangerous. The score works well for me and sets a very 90's tone and there are some excellent scenes that either capture the attention and some that genuinely move the viewer in my view anyways. The story moves along nicely although ends somewhat abruptly. I wish Mr Kasdan had given us more of this new family of friends and their final journey to the Canyon whose ancient beauty and majesty gives us all a moment to ponder our own importance in the grand scheme of things. A wonderful film, enjoy and don't overthink it's themes or intentions, it's what you make of it that counts .

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Just love this move and one of the few I have seen repeated times. If anyone is still thinking about this movie in 2022 (I doubt it as I couldn't find it anywhere, even my trusty library), I have to say it is one of my 10 best films. I tend to think people are spending their lives trying to unlock the mysteries of the universe, like I do, but evidently that is not the case, because people seem to have totally missed all the messages this film brought. We have a diverse group of people as our stars: a good looking, amoral, philandering executive (Kevin Kline), his office playtoy, whose feelings of low self esteem are magnified by her boss' lack of affection in their affair, his wife, in an existential crisis empty nesting, a movie producer (Steve Martin), who has no qualms about promoting violence with his films, and a genuinely good tow truck driver. As their lives intertwine, each of them have their philosophies of life upended in various events. A violent earthquake (to bring the preciousness of life and family into perspective), a situation where hoodlums threaten the life of the executive, the film producer being violently shot, predictions by a grotty derelict who apparently is an oracle. There are subtle and not so subtle incidents of the paranormal and astral travel. There is an underlying message of karma, the joy of gratitude, and the dual nature of all things. True to life, there is sometimes redemption, and sometimes backsliding into one's evil ways. All in all, goodness prevails and mostly the existential crises are resolved. There is a very satisfying ending (so rare!!!!). A feel good movie on many levels.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

dave s

Abandoned babies, robberies, drive-by shootings, blood-stained sidewalks, the constant thrumb of police helicopters, earthquakes – Los Angeles was apparently a difficult place to live in the late 20th century. Lawrence Kasdan's Grand Canyon follows a distinctly disparate group of L.A. residents as they navigate their way through difficult times, each trying to interpret the epiphanies they encounter. Despite the fact that the film lacks any semblance of subtlety (the symbolism of the Grand Canyon is like a punch in the face) and the characters all wax philosophically from beginning to end, the characters are undeniably interesting and the message of the movie is worth listening to, especially in today's troubled times.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

s r

This is the precursor to the movie Crash. I appreciated this attempt to address some of the more complicated things in life and some of its bigger questions. I liked the Grand Canyon analogy, but in the end I saw it mostly for the cast. Saw on HBO.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A very good film that is rarely mentioned nowadays, but its theme and message are as important as ever. A really special film that everyone should see.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

steve d

A strong cast makes it an interesting watch.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Lawrence Kasdan

Director

Danny Glover

Simon

Kevin Kline

Mack

Steve Martin

Davis

Mary McDonnell

Claire

Mary-Louise Parker

Dee

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Kasdan's movie doesn't succeed, but see it: it's the season's most fascinating failure.

Feb 7, 2018

Full Review

Eric Hynes

Village Voice

This is the sound of a filmmaker wrestling (transparently) with ideas, talking at but not quite down to his audience.

Apr 18, 2012

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Ernece B. Kelly

The Crisis

Glover's portrayal of Simon, a tow truck operator in Los Angeles, is a consistently authentic one, studded with exceptional scenes.

Dec 26, 2023

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

It may not be the grand movie it aimed to be, but in a year as arid as 1991, it's frankly the best. [Full review in Spanish]

Jan 5, 2023

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a predominantly stellar endeavor from an impressively reliable filmmaker.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 18, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

A diverse group of characters are thrown together through chance encounters while coping with urban chaos in L.A. The main focus is the growing friendship between an immigration lawyer (Kevin Kline) and a tow-truck driver (Danny Glover) who meet when Kline's car breaks down in a crime-ridden neighborhood.

Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Screenwriter: Lawrence Kasdan, Meg Kasdan
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 1, 1991, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $32.3M
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)