The Mean Season

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The Mean Season

R

1985

1h 44m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

22 Reviews

34%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

After reporting on the murder of a teenage girl, journalist Malcolm Anderson (Kurt Russell) is contacted by the killer (Richard Jordan) known as the "Numbers Murderer," who offers exclusive information about the deaths. With the cooperation of the police, who tape the killer's phone calls, Malcolm agrees and soon becomes famous. Jealous of the attention the journalist is receiving for his coverage, the Numbers Murderer kidnaps Malcolm's girlfriend, Christine (Mariel Hemingway).

Critics Consensus

A thriller that plays at social commentary, The Mean Season fumbles with its weightier themes, but does so in a generally watchable way.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

"The Mean Season" is a promising idea gone infuriatingly wrong.

Rated: 2/4

May 20, 2021

Full Review

Harper Barnes

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On the whole, "The Mean Season" is a solid adventure film. It is just that one wishes, considering the excellent cast and the director, that it were better.

May 20, 2021

Full Review

Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

It's more effective than it deserves to be because director Phillip Borsos has a terrific technique. He twists the conventions of the thriller form to serve his vision of the story.

Rated: 3/5

May 20, 2021

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Borsos does an effective job of goosing the narrative with a handful of impressively electrifying moments...

Rated: 3/4

Nov 13, 2022

Full Review

Jeffrey Lyons

Video Review

Leon Piedmont’s screenplay... effectively conveys the sense of a real newspaper and a real newspaper reporter, aware of his obligation to report the news, while trying never to be the one who’s involved in making events unfold.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 5, 2022

Full Review

Barbara Shulgasser

San Francisco Examiner

"The Mean Season" is a taut piece of work right down to the throbbing vein that stands out on Kurt Russell's forehead.

Rated: 4/4

May 20, 2021

Full Review

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Sarah G.

A great suspense thriller with a different than usual storyline.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/16/25

Full Review

Craig W.

Good serial killer movie. I personally liked it and thought it was entertaining, I guess others didn’t think that.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/08/25

Full Review

Alain E

Another case that I disagree with the predominant opinion about this movie, which I find very successful. Kurt Russell is a newspaper reporter, kind in a funk, thinking of relocating from Miami, when he finds himself in a cat and mouse game with a psychopathic serial killer. The events described are not unrealistic, nobody jumps four stories down. No high speed car chase happens in downtown Miami. He contacts the police, as he is supposed to do, and they are trying to lay a trap, but the guy is very good in providing them with false clues. Mariel Hemingway is credible as the kindergarten teacher girlfriend and provides a few seconds of nudity. A very young Andy Garcia is a very cute police detective. Nice color cinematography. Totally enjoyable!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/30/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 44 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

Full Review

CodyZamboni Z

For the most part, this movie is solid and suspenseful, As a burnt out newspaper guy Kurt Russell becomes the center of huge media sensation, As a psycho contacts him to tell his story as victims pile up, and cops have no leads, And on top of that, there's a major hurricane on the way, Kurt anchors another commanding role, With a flashy role for Richard Jordan, And it was nice seeing a really young Andy Garcia, There's also some spot on satiric barbs against the media, and nice use of Miami locations, And lots of impactful gunfire sound fx, Only Mariel Hemmingway's poor acting skills, and a predictable climax, hurt the overall impact,

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/20/25

Full Review

bob c

Not quite junk but not as good as an episode of Miami Vice

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/19/25

Full Review

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Phillip Borsos

Director

Kurt Russell

Malcolm Anderson

Mariel Hemingway

Christine Connelly

Richard Jordan

Alan Delour

Richard Masur

Bill Nolan

Joe Pantoliano

Andy Porter

The Mean Season: Official Clip - Meeting in Person

3:12

The Mean Season: Official Clip - Leaving is Just a Formality

2:57

The Mean Season: Official Clip - A Tape for Malcolm

2:51

The Mean Season: Official Clip - News Gets Made Somewhere Else

1:30

The Mean Season: Official Clip - Reporting or Participating?

1:46

The Mean Season: Official Clip - Shoot Him!

2:52

The Mean Season: Official Clip - Nothing Is Important

1:57

The Mean Season: Official Clip - The Killer Calls

1:57

The Mean Season: Official Clip - Jumping the Bridge

2:49

The Mean Season: Official Clip - The Killer Calls Again

2:19

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Synopsis

After reporting on the murder of a teenage girl, journalist Malcolm Anderson (Kurt Russell) is contacted by the killer (Richard Jordan) known as the "Numbers Murderer," who offers exclusive information about the deaths. With the cooperation of the police, who tape the killer's phone calls, Malcolm agrees and soon becomes famous. Jealous of the attention the journalist is receiving for his coverage, the Numbers Murderer kidnaps Malcolm's girlfriend, Christine (Mariel Hemingway).

Director: Phillip Borsos
Producer: David Foster, Lawrence Turman
Production Co: Turman-Foster Company, David Foster Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 15, 1985, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 8, 2017
Runtime: 1h 44m

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