Dead Presidents

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Dead Presidents

R

Released Oct 4, 1995

1h 59m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

47%

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34 Reviews

78%

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25,000+ Ratings

Soldier Anthony Curtis (Larenz Tate) returns to his Bronx home after a nightmarish tour of duty in Vietnam. But the nightmare continues for Anthony and his friends as they suffer the indignities of trying to find steady work and provide for their families in a flagging economy. As desperation takes hold, Anthony teams up with Skip (Chris Tucker), a drug addict, and Kirby (Keith David), a small-time crook, to pull off a bank heist that will give them all a chance for a better life.

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

Dead Presidents may eventually box itself into a narrative dead end, but its muscular engagement of weighty themes and explosive situations makes it a powerful drama.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Time Out

There are intriguing aspects to this yarn, and the brothers can choreograph a scene, but you get the impression that they learned all they know from other movies, the blood and guts is gratuitous...

Jan 26, 2006

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Caryn James

New York Times

Like those overreaching sophomore term papers we can all laugh at now, this disappointing film may free the Hughes brothers to move on to fresher, more inspired work.

Rated: 2/4

May 20, 2003

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Sheila Reid

Women in the Life

Graphic, nostalgic and at times very funny.

May 13, 2022

Full Review

Alistair Lawrence

Common Sense Media

Like the iconic black and white face paint of its bank robbers, this movie endures, as flawed and multi-faceted as the period it tries to reflect.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 17, 2021

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Don Shanahan

25YL (25 Years Later)

There is a ballsy honesty in presenting such an inevitable fall from grace with splattered style.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 6, 2020

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Kerry S

1996 Chris Tucker gives a raw performance of the 1960s Vietnam era. The typical rich man gets away from going to Vietnam just to come back to a broken down Bedford sty full which junkies and hustlers. It only show the short lived world of quick cash to " Chris Tucker" it seems to be the exit out of the madness in which he lives.This movie shows first time actors in this movie.Which are the break out roles. Mr. Tucker is pure natural for this character.It was a great movie bringing you back to the sixty's era.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/22/24

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Chris H

Unflinching and unpleasant, this film makes its points well. Anthony (Larenz Tate) does what he feels he needs to do, in the situation he finds himself in, whether that is killing Viet Cong or robbing a bank. It's a simple approach, born out of a simple desire to get by. He's not a simple man though - he's just being practical - and much more goes on beneath the surface. A good ensemble cast surrounds Tate and their characters all have problems, none helped by the war.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/14/24

Full Review

Autumn M

Dead Presidents is the dramatic tale of a young man from the Bronx who has his life forever changed by two tours in Vietnam. The themes of mental illness, drug addiction, and institutional racism all collide into a sad tale of desperation. I was a little turned off by the foul language and graphic violence; I am no prude, but it was a little much for my sensibilities. It was okay, but I did not like the ending. They also left the fate of one of the characters ambiguous, for some reason.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/13/24

Full Review

Alec B

Yes it is broadly about America's failures (both foreign and domestic) and the way violence, once started, never stops. However the more compelling and intimate narrative is about bitter disappointment. Life sometimes has a way of not working out for a lot people for reasons both beyond and within their control. As with "Menace II Society" the Hughes brothers are willing to take us to places that can make just about everyone uncomfortable.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

Lance U

DEAD PRESIDENTS is a beautiful film from directors Allen & Albert Hughes! Both Larenz Tate & Keith David deliver powerful performances! A-

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/29/23

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Andre G

Bank robbery movie. The planning they do is next to none. Awesome action but also pretty sad.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/13/23

Full Review

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Albert Hughes

Director

Allen Hughes

Director

Larenz Tate

Anthony Curtis

Keith David

Kirby

Chris Tucker

Skip

N'Bushe Wright

Delilah Benson

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Synopsis

Soldier Anthony Curtis (Larenz Tate) returns to his Bronx home after a nightmarish tour of duty in Vietnam. But the nightmare continues for Anthony and his friends as they suffer the indignities of trying to find steady work and provide for their families in a flagging economy. As desperation takes hold, Anthony teams up with Skip (Chris Tucker), a drug addict, and Kirby (Keith David), a small-time crook, to pull off a bank heist that will give them all a chance for a better life.

Director: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
Producer: Allen Hughes, Albert Hughes
Screenwriter: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes, Michael Henry Brown
Distributor: Hollywood Pictures Home Video, Criterion Collection, Buena Vista Pictures, Touchstone Pictures
Production Co: Hollywood Pictures, Underworld Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 4, 1995, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.1M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Surround

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