American Pastoral

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2:19

American Pastoral

R

Released Oct 21, 2016

1h 48m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

24%

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123 Reviews

31%

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2,500+ Ratings

Seymour Swede Levov (Ewan McGregor) is a once legendary high school athlete who is now a successful businessman married to Dawn (Jennifer Connelly), a former beauty queen. When his beloved teenage daughter (Dakota Fanning) disappears after being accused of committing a violent act, Swede dedicates himself to finding her and reuniting his family. What he discovers shakes him to the core, forcing him to look beneath the surface and confront the chaos that is shaping the world around him.

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Critics Consensus

American Pastoral finds debuting director Ewan McGregor's reach exceeding its grasp with a well-intentioned Philip Roth adaptation that retains the form, but little of the function, of its source material.

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Adam Nayman

Cinema Scope

The whole production feels verged on the perch of camp.

Sep 28, 2017

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

It's far from perfect, but it's not a bad stab at tricky material.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 27, 2016

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Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

McGregor and Connelly are good as dad and mum, Hannah Nordberg and Dakota Fanning even better as, at different ages, Merry.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 27, 2016

Full Review

David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

American Pastoral is oddly flat and uninvolving for the most part, despite the convulsions it represents.

Feb 11, 2021

Full Review

Leo Brady

AMovieGuy.com

There is promise for better outputs by McGregor in the future, with kinder material, but American Pastoral is joyless.

Rated: 1.5/4

Feb 3, 2021

Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

What could have been an interesting look at what happens when radicalization comes home is neutered by some swiss cheese storytelling - lots of holes.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 3, 2021

Full Review

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Zeke H

I did not enjoy this movie. It was a depressing film. But that’s not the reason I didn’t enjoy it. I did not enjoy it because the story is just boring. I kept waiting for “a hook”. But it never came.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/09/25

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Jolin S

I don’t care what others say about this movie. I agree with the people who said this movie is quite entertaining. Ewan, Jennifer and Dakota put in a great acting performance. I just think the ending could have ended on a more positive note concerning the family efforts to overcome the issue that they were forced to deal with. Watch it to make our own opinion.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/04/25

Full Review

Amy L

I thought this was a beautiful movie, exquisitely acted. A wonderful directorial debut. I think it has been unfairly viewed as commentary on modern activism in America when that was never it's intention. It captures the heartache of generational conflict during a period of immense social change, as one generation tears at a society it sees as unjust and archaic, whilst the other tries desperately to hold onto what they know without losing their children. We laud the 60s and 70s for the positive change they brought but rarely examine the pain and heartache that lies behind such sweeping change and upheaval.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/08/24

Full Review

Katie Z

I think Ewan did a great job as a director and actor

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

one of the stupidest movie ever. we're they trying to warn us of blm/antifa? they did the exact same thing.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/27/22

Full Review

Audience Member

A few missteps here and there but kept my attention for the most part, was expecting more from the ending. I enjoyed the social issues it explored and think they are just as relevant today as they were in the time the story was set in.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

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Ewan McGregor

Director

Ewan McGregor

Seymour "Swede" Levov

Jennifer Connelly

Dawn Levov

Dakota Fanning

Merry Levov

Valorie Curry

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Synopsis

Seymour Swede Levov (Ewan McGregor) is a once legendary high school athlete who is now a successful businessman married to Dawn (Jennifer Connelly), a former beauty queen. When his beloved teenage daughter (Dakota Fanning) disappears after being accused of committing a violent act, Swede dedicates himself to finding her and reuniting his family. What he discovers shakes him to the core, forcing him to look beneath the surface and confront the chaos that is shaping the world around him.

Director: Ewan McGregor
Producer: Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Andre Lamal
Screenwriter: John Romano
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: TIK Films, Lakeshore Entertainment, Lionsgate Films, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
Rating: R (Language|Brief Violent Images|Some Strong Sexual Material)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 21, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 24, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $541.5K
Runtime: 1h 48m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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