Nate and Hayes

PG

Released Nov 18, 1983

1 hr. 40 min.

Adventure

List

0%

6 Reviews

Tomatometer

59%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

A swashbuckler (Tommy Lee Jones) recalls from prison how he and a missionary (Michael O'Keefe) rescued a damsel (Jenny Seagrove) from pirates.

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Kimberly N

Loved this when I was 15, saw in the theater. Still one of my favorites 😍

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/23/23

Full Review

delysid d

so much swashbuckling in this movie

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/23/22

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Audience Member

I've always liked it, I saw it a few times on the movie channel as a boy. It is what it is, if you can't appreciate it, mabey you should read art books and stop watching movies.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

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Audience Member

Nate and Hayes (1983) ** "Mr. Mom" or "National Lampoon's Class Reunion" are a couple unsung John Hughes writing credits, but probably the furtherest removed script from his Brat Pack comedies is this period swashbuckler. Set in the South Pacific, where the wife of missionary Michael O'Keefe (Caddyshack's Danny Noonan) is stolen by slave traders, so it's up to him and colorful sea captain William Henry "Bully" Hayes, played by a pre-fame Tommy Lee Jones, to rescue her. Clearly a cash grab to take advantage of the success of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" this film is dull and pales in comparison. However, credit where credit is due, during one action set piece, this film beat "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" by a year with the cutting-the-bridge-while-surrounded gag. Still, Spielberg did it better and it's also kind of a jungle film staple. Overall, the only reason to watch this film is to see the great Tommy Lee Jones in what's probably the strangest casting of his entire career. It's not the worst Indy ripoff (ignoring the super low budget knockoffs, I nominate "Firewalker" and "Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold"), but it's far from the best (I nominate "Romancing the Stone" or "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones" and honorable mention to Jackie Chan's "Armour of God" films and Disney's "The Rocketeer" for Indy adjacent retro film serial fun).

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

In my opinion, Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl most of the plot "borrowed" from Nate and Hayes. Crabs are also eerily crawling on the sand. The difference between films is 20 years. Nate and Hayes-1983, the first Pirates of the Caribbean-2003. captain Bully, played by Tommy Lee Jones, is a noble and moral outlaw. I very loved in childhood book about such brave, reckless, causing sympathy (and desire to emulate), seeking adventures characters. Naive funny light movie with handsome Tommy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

while yes I gave it 5 stars, is it really a five star movie? not likely, but I'm bias. I grew up with this movie. A chance rental back in the days when my family would rent a VCR and a couple moves only once every few months. About the movie, it's fairly quickly paced, no major slow down drag a long dull moments. some topics that are a bit .. ewww .. But the Villain you can hate, while admiring for being so slimy, like who or what on earth would create such a horrible person. The Hero Hayes played by Tommy Lee Jones... is very watered down, typical hero/with a past kind of deal, But it works. But just overall a fun movie, stupid at times ... like why not cross the bridge before cutting the rope? etc. so very flawed yes... very watchable YES ... the cheese and action and fun .. mixed with a massive dose of childhood nostalgia is why I give it 5 stars ... the adult in me if I were to have never seen it might have been 3 1/2 stars due to stand out issues that stick in your head that can linger as you watch... you'll see .. but even those are kind of funny.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

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Ferdinand Fairfax

Director

Tommy Lee Jones

Captain Bully Hayes

Michael O'Keefe

Nathaniel Williamson

Jenny Seagrove

Sophie

Max Phipps

Ben Pease

Grant Tilly

Count Von Rittenberg

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

Tries unsuccessfully to be that buoyant, rollicking pirate movie we all remember having seen in our youth and which they don't make anymore.

Rated: 1.5/5

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Nate and Hayes is one of the more inexplicable films I've encountered recently. The part I can't explain is: Why did they make it? The movie is a loud, confusing, pointless mess that never seems to make up its mind whether to be a farce or an adventure.

Rated: 1/4

Jun 24, 2006

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Just when a sequence of competent action appears, yet another scene of comic silliness follows.

Rated: 5/10

Sep 6, 2020

Full Review

Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

A mess, and more to be studied as the sort of thing to avoid than respected as a forgotten gem that needs a new audience. But boy is it ever hard to turn away.

Rated: 4/10

Sep 19, 2011

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Old fashioned but far from compelling...

Rated: 2/4

Jul 15, 2006

Full Review

Scott Weinberg

DVDTalk.com

The movie shoots for light-hearted adventure but sinks like a lead anchor.

Rated: 2/5

Jun 2, 2006

Full Review

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Synopsis

A swashbuckler (Tommy Lee Jones) recalls from prison how he and a missionary (Michael O'Keefe) rescued a damsel (Jenny Seagrove) from pirates.

Director: Ferdinand Fairfax
Screenwriter: John Hughes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Phillips Whitehouse Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 1983, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 10, 2015
Sound Mix: Surround

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