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Cannery Row

Play trailer Poster for Cannery Row PG Released Feb 12, 1982 2h 0m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 72% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
An ex-ballplayer (Nick Nolte) studies marine biology and a bordello girl (Debra Winger) in his run-down town.
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Cannery Row

Critics Reviews

View All (8) Critics Reviews
Dwight Brown Sepia Nearly all the faults of this ill-made film can be blamed on its directing. Aug 10, 2022 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times All of this is photographed and written in such a mixture of the wistful, the whimsical, the eccentric, and the romantic that the characters don't even seem to be living; they seem to be auditioning. Rated: 2.5/4 Oct 23, 2004 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Cannery Row leans heavily into the artifice and the whimsy -- it's a strategy that's occasionally charming but more often distancing. Rated: 2.5/4 Jul 5, 2020 Full Review Rick Chatenever Santa Cruz Sentinel Cannery Row falls a long way short of being a great movie -- but it does just fine as a pretty good one. Nov 20, 2019 Full Review John J. Puccio Movie Metropolis Cannery Row may be excessively sentimental, even a little corny, but it's all heart. Rated: 7/10 Jan 28, 2009 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Rated: 4/5 Nov 1, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Trent B There are movies you watch and enjoy for many reasons. There are a select few you watch two or three times. And then there are movies, like books, that you revisit like old friends, this is one my most beloved of that genre. Excellent story and characters adapted from an American master( Steinbeck), excellent portrayals by actors at the height of their gifts. You needn’t approach this movie as an auteur or critic, it isn’t pretentious like that. Just set back and allow yourself to be told a story, and admire a time and place in the world where such a story could happen. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/03/24 Full Review Tom S Perfect movie. If you're gonna make a movie, this is a good example. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/28/23 Full Review Steve D The story is ok at best and the narration is distracting Rated 2 out of 5 stars 08/21/23 Full Review Audience Member You can always find something on Cannery Row Based on the book by John Steinbeck and starring Nick Nolte and Debra Winger Skid row denizens live in a dead end California town during WWII The declining fish stocks are shutting down a previously rich fishery and the dependent canning industry, bums and prostitutes lead colorful and adventurous lives in a balmy seaside setting Doc collects marine animals and sells them to colleges and museums He keeps to himself a lot until he meets Suzy, who works in an out of a bordello It's only out of necessity though The two spend more time together and couldn't be more opposite This is just ok; it feels more like a stage production than anything If you're not bothered by the lack of sets having variation then it's fine Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review uncle p Story/Screenplay: (3/5) The basis of this story was a good one. The execution fell a little flat, and I'm not sure why. There was no big story event that captivated me. It felt like I was on the outside looking in for 120 minutes. Duration/Tempo: (3/5) At 2 hours, it's a long movie that felt about the same. Considering the subject matter that was in large part comedy and romance, it would have been nice to see a snappier pace to the film. Cast & Crew: (3.5/5) Nick Nolte and Debra Winger were well cast. When the story cooperated, they had good chemistry on-screen. Summary: (3/5) The cast was very good, but the story was only fair and the film felt like it should have been snappier. A borderline thumbs down. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member If I hadn't read the book, I would have probably not finished watching this movie. But I was curious what was done in the movie based on having read the literary source of "Cannery Row," and persisted watching it. Since its intention appears to be entertainment, I was not moved by its characters or the romantic comedy that it turned out to be although Nick Nolte's acting was pretty good. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Cannery Row

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Movie Info

Synopsis An ex-ballplayer (Nick Nolte) studies marine biology and a bordello girl (Debra Winger) in his run-down town.
Director
David S. Ward
Production Co
Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 12, 1982, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2011
Runtime
2h 0m
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