King of the Hill

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King of the Hill

PG-13

1993

1h 42m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

91%

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32 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Aaron (Jesse Bradford), a young boy living in St. Louis during the 1930s, has a deep attachment to his younger brother. After his father (Jeroen Krabbé) leaves them and his mother (Lisa Eichhorn) departs for an asylum, he promises to retrieve his brother from their uncle's custody. In the meantime, he must fend for himself among townspeople and the tenants in the hotel where he lives. Forced to come of age alone, Aaron shifts between the harsh real world and the dream world he creates to cope.

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Critics Consensus

A subtle, affecting, character-driven coming-of-age story, King of the Hill is one of Steven Soderbergh's best and most criminally overlooked films.

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Noel Murray

The Dissolve

02/24/2014

4.5/5

King Of The Hill balances an incident-packed script with muted tones, painting a rich, absorbing picture of one boy's struggle to live by his wits.

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Janet Maslin

New York Times

08/30/2004

4/5

The film does a lovely job of juxtaposing the sharp contrasts in Aaron's life, and in marveling at the fact that he survives as buoyantly as he does.

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Almar Haflidason

BBC.com

05/12/2001

4/5

As stories of hope and spirit go, this is a subtle marvel.

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Jordan M. Smith

IONCINEMA.com

11/12/2020

2/5

Technically sound and sadly sugary in its handling of the truly devastating realities of the Depression, King of the Hill is not a bad film per se, just one that lacks a sense of consequence and a lasting impression.

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Brian D. Johnson

Maclean's Magazine

10/09/2019

Despite Bradford's arresting lead performance, King of the Hill never comes alive: a childhood memoir frozen in amber.

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James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

03/20/2014

3.5/4

one of Soderbergh's best films: a painterly, thoughtful, and subtly emotional portrait of preadolescent coming of age in dire circumstances

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Georgan G

03/08/2023

This film is like stepping back into the Depression. The main child actor, A. E. Hotchner, was simply amazing. Although a sad tale in many ways, I found it uplifting in terms of courage. The dogged fight each person had to keep up day after day was inspiring. Goes to show you can do nearly anything if you have to.

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12/24/2019

"That boy aint right" -Hank Hill

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02/09/2017

Great movie. In Soderbergh's third film ever, he shows a strong grasp on both direction and storytelling, delivering a captivating and powerful drama with well-written characters and dialogue, as well as a phenomenal lead performance from a young Bradford.

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08/14/2016

A true masterpiece - outstanding, an absolute favorite that seems to have all but disappeared for those of us who'd love to see it again! Well crafted with its gut-wrenching and uplifting moments with a remarkable ensemble of fascinating, very real characters, many of whom seem worthy of their own movie around their own situation. Desperate circumstances put young Aaron in a survival mode in the bleak depression yet this film is anything but depressing. Often harsh and intense, yet full of entertaining moments and Aaron's unsinkable spirit carrying him through it all.

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07/15/2016

Really good ... I like it

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01/08/2016

The story of Aaron, the coolest kid on the block, and his struggling family during the depression in the 1930's. Aron is doing well in school, even with few money. His parents are not earning much and are often not around trying to get money from places further away. He tries to get hold of some money himself with varied results. Still, his biggest feature is that he is super kind and everyone likes him. He is the coolest and best kid on the block. Both Bradford and Brody are rock solid and is lofting the superb story. It looks good and got few flat moments - some uplifting ones, some sadder ones, but no flat moments. This is feel good to the fullest. Soderbergh shows a lot of heart here, in one of his earlier and slightly overlooked film. Oh, also way cool to see Lauren Hill as an elevator girl. 7.5 out of 10 cigar bands.

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Steven Soderbergh

Director

Jesse Bradford

Aaron Kurlander

Jeroen Krabbé

Mr. Kurlander

Lisa Eichhorn

Mrs. Kurlander

Karen Allen

Miss Mathey

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Synopsis

Aaron (Jesse Bradford), a young boy living in St. Louis during the 1930s, has a deep attachment to his younger brother. After his father (Jeroen Krabbé) leaves them and his mother (Lisa Eichhorn) departs for an asylum, he promises to retrieve his brother from their uncle's custody. In the meantime, he must fend for himself among townspeople and the tenants in the hotel where he lives. Forced to come of age alone, Aaron shifts between the harsh real world and the dream world he creates to cope.

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Producer: Albert Berger, Barbara Maltby, Ron Yerxa
Screenwriter: Steven Soderbergh
Production Co: Wildwood Enterprises, Bona Fide Productions
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Feb 25, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $879.6K
Runtime: 1h 42m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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