Freeheld

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1:19

Freeheld

PG-13

Released Oct 2, 2015

1h 43m

Drama

Romance

Biography

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

49%

Tomatometer

138 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Diagnosed with terminal cancer, decorated New Jersey detective Laurel Hester wishes to leave her pension benefits to domestic partner Stacie Andree. Denied by local county officials, Laurel receives help from hard-nosed colleague Dane Wells and activist Steven Goldstein, who unite to rally fellow police officers and ordinary citizens to support the couple's fight for equality.

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Critics Consensus

Freeheld certainly means well, but its cardboard characters and by-the-numbers drama undermine its noble intentions.

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Riese Bernard

Autostraddle

If you're interested in watching a really solid film with a lesbian couple smack dab at the center of a small story with national implications, I cannot recommend a better place to do so than in a movie theater screening Freeheld.

Aug 17, 2021

Full Review

Grace Manger

Bitch Media

It really is just a tiny sliver, a few years of two people's lives that ended up setting a precedent for their small town. Those stories need to be told, too.

Feb 9, 2021

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

Flat, and lacking the archly deadened attributes of Todd Haynes' Carol, a quartet of World's Greatest Actors work hard to animate a timid movie.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 23, 2016

Full Review

Curve Staff

Curve

Moore and Page deliver powerful, heartfelt performances in this stirring tribute to an ordinary couple whose love and integrity compelled them to demand equal rights in an extraordinary act of courage.

May 20, 2022

Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

A crowd pleaser that dramatizes and humanizes a landmark case in the ongoing battle for gay rights.

Rated: 3.5/5

Mar 4, 2021

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Curiously, more believable exchanges transpire between Julianne Moore and Michael Shannon, while Ron Nyswaner's screenplay fails to provide sustenance for Laurel Hester's relationship with Stacie Andree.

Rated: 2.5/5

Oct 13, 2020

Full Review

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Sarah W

Such a beautiful film. I highly recommend it. Just make sure you have the tissues on standby.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/06/24

Full Review

Violeta E

Un guion que aspira a ser inspirador pero se queda con el boleto comprado. Moore y Paige en su actuación de pareja producen mucho cringe.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/24

Full Review

Audience Member

It's a nice film that's based on a true story!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I really enoy this movie, it represents very well the fight of LGBT community for political and social recognition and the way we still have a lot to fight for basic rights, like the one in the movie, the pension benefit to Laurel's girlfriend because of the terminal cancer that Laurel discover after they star to buil a life together, buy a house, etc. It's a beautiful story about love and the fight for equality, that shows how discrimation can affect people's lifes, i recommend it a lot.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

steve d

The script wasn't great but the story is really powerful and the moments of humor appreciated.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is an excellent movie with a solid cast loved Steve Carell's performance as a flamboyant gay Jew activist he brought a little humor to a reality sad story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

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Peter Sollett

Director

Julianne Moore

Laurel Hester

Elliot Page

Stacie Andree

Michael Shannon

Dane Wells

Josh Charles

Bryan Kelder

Luke Grimes

Todd Belkin

Freeheld: You Have the Power

2:42

Freeheld: Political Theater

2:46

Freeheld: It Offends Traditional Values

2:00

Freeheld: An Opportunity to Change the World

2:47

Freeheld: Trying to Buy a Little Time

2:14

Freeheld: Tire Rotation Competition

1:58

Freeheld: Happy Domestic Partnership Day

1:38

Freeheld: I Thought I'd Never Survive It

3:01

Freeheld: Not My Roommate

2:33

Freeheld: You Should Come Home With Me

2:58

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Synopsis

Diagnosed with terminal cancer, decorated New Jersey detective Laurel Hester wishes to leave her pension benefits to domestic partner Stacie Andree. Denied by local county officials, Laurel receives help from hard-nosed colleague Dane Wells and activist Steven Goldstein, who unite to rally fellow police officers and ordinary citizens to support the couple's fight for equality.

Director: Peter Sollett
Producer: Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Cynthia Wade, Jack Selby, Duncan Montgomery, James D. Stern, Julie Goldstein, Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Kelly Bush, Elliot Page
Screenwriter: Ron Nyswaner
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Filmax, Double Feature Films, Filmadora Nacional, Endgame Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Sexuality|Language|Some Thematic Elements)
Genre: Drama, Romance, Biography, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 2, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $533.0K
Runtime: 1h 43m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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