Hesher

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Hesher

R

2011

1h 40m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

55%

Tomatometer

77 Reviews

61%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

An anarchist (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) shakes things up after moving -- uninvited -- into the garage of a troubled youth (Devin Brochu) and the kid's father (Rainn Wilson).

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Critics Consensus

It has a dark sense of humor and a refreshing lack of sentimentality, but like its title character, Hesher isn't really interested in going anywhere.

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Leonard Maltin

leonardmaltin.com

Some indie films seem to exist as exercises in strangeness, just to see how far they can go-and how long audiences will watch before screaming and running up the aisles. I stuck with Hesher till...

Rated: 1.1/2

May 13, 2011

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Tom Long

Detroit News

Happily, Hesher never lays things out too clearly. Just as you never know where he came from, it's hard to grasp where he's going, or even what he's doing in the moment. But you know he fits somewhere. And that's satisfaction enough.

Rated: B

May 13, 2011

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Brian Tallerico

HollywoodChicago.com

Like a knock-off of Chuck Palahniuk produced by people raised only on Sundance films, "Hesher" is a mess.

Rated: 1/5

May 13, 2011

Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

It's a risky move to make a movie with a protagonist as unlikable as Hesher does, yet that gamble paid off in this unconventional coming-of-age movie.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 11, 2025

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

If only the film upheld the confronting emotions and entertaining recklessness so shocking early in the film with an appropriately downturned ending, the result might not feel so inharmoniously optimistic upon reflection.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 7, 2023

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Jack Fleischer

Battleship Pretension

At the very least I would totally say it's worth a matinee admission. Go and see it, and tell me what it is that I just don't get.

Mar 24, 2021

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Jack F

Extremely offbeat, but interesting. It was funny seeing Gordon-Levitt be this kind of character. "Now you've got more channels"!!!!!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/19/25

Full Review

Aldis H

I've known since before I got the first hair on my pec*** that critics have things stuck up their as*** and don't appreciate madness. I've watched this three times. Sure, it's disjointed, it's got a completely stupid twist, nevertheless, I love it, mainly because of Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/30/25

Full Review

Faiz D

dafuq JGL? The only only good thing about this movie was the character of the boy's Grandmother.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

Full Review

Kirk N

This is a unique movie, have seen nothing else like it. Hesher is a magical character with a filthy mouth, personally I really enjoyed his inventive obscenities but probably best not to watch with the kids. For a movie about dealing with grief, it manages not to drag you down, but get your adrenaline pumping.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/01/25

Full Review

mark g

When you're an hour into the movie and realize you haven't enjoyed one second of it, you have to ask yourself, should I continue? I mean, shouldn't there be some payoff by now. I like indies, but have a point.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/16/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Lame. Even the obscenity is unimaginative.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/07/24

Full Review

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Spencer Susser

Director

Natalie Portman

Nicole

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Hesher

Rainn Wilson

Paul Forney

Devin Brochu

T.J.

Piper Laurie

Madeleine Forney

Hesher: Official Clip - Angry Dinner

2:32

Hesher: Official Clip - Fender Bender

3:20

Hesher: Official Clip - Dirty and Wet

2:56

Hesher: Official Clip - I Lost My Nut

2:37

Hesher: Official Clip - I'll Smash You in the Face

2:52

Hesher: Official Clip - Stalking That Chick

2:40

Hesher: Official Clip - You Think This Is Funny?

2:44

Hesher: Official Clip - Car Burning

2:02

Hesher: Official Clip - The Granny Killer

1:53

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Synopsis

An anarchist (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) shakes things up after moving -- uninvited -- into the garage of a troubled youth (Devin Brochu) and the kid's father (Rainn Wilson).

Director: Spencer Susser
Producer: Lucy Cooper, Matt Weaver, Scott Prisand, Spencer Susser, Natalie Portman, Johnny Lin, Win Sheridan
Screenwriter: Spencer Susser, David Michôd
Distributor: Wrekin Hill Ent.
Production Co: American Work, Inc., Last Pictures
Rating: R (Drug Content|Disturbing Violent Behavior|Some in Presence of a Child|Graphic Dialogue|Pervasive Language|Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 13, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 6, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $382.9K
Runtime: 1h 40m

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