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      Oleanna

      Released Nov 4, 1994 1 hr. 29 min. Drama List
      53% 19 Reviews Tomatometer 61% 1,000+ Ratings Audience Score Flustered college student Carol (Debra Eisenstadt) visits John (William H. Macy), one of her professors, and asks how she can pass his class. The narcissistic instructor barely seems to notice her presence, and goes off on tangents relating to his own personal philosophies and problems while failing to answer the pupil. Later, a more assured Carol returns and accuses John of sexual harassment. The professor is baffled, but Carol remains steadfast in her claim, and their feud escalates nastily. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Oct 17 Buy Now

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      Audience Reviews

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      Alec B Not as incendiary as the play but that's mostly because you aren't trapped in an enclosed space with the characters and a live audience. I think the movie still works because you're emotionally invested in the tragedy of the piece. Mamet's writing is often derided unfairly as unrealistic and/or impenetrable but the language here is the key to why it doesn't feel too dated. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/10/24 Full Review Barr. Oke J Oleanna... The movie is derogatory and lacks taste in all its scenes... Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review dave s While David Mamet's Oleanna is sure to spark debate and has its share of interesting perspectives, it ultimately falls flat due to the fact that the only two characters in the film are absolutely repugnant. John (William H. Macy), a college professor, is a condescending narcissist, enamored by his own sense of superiority. Carol (Debra Eisenstadt), one of John's students, is a social justice warrior, unable to take responsibility for her own failures as a student, looking to place them at the feet of her teacher. For ninety minutes, they engage in a pompous dialogue, begging the question: does anyone really communicate like this? Those who bow at the Mamet altar will probably lap this up. More objective viewers will recognize this for what it is – pretentious. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Not as incendiary as the play but that's mostly because you aren't trapped in an enclosed space with the characters and a live audience. I think the movie still works because you're emotionally invested in the tragedy of the piece. Mamet's writing is often derided unfairly as unrealistic and/or impenetrable but the language here is the key to why it doesn't feel too dated. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member It seems like the exact kind of play that a rapist would write to try and victimize himself and give society another reason to doubt actual victims coming forward. I don't think Mamet gives the character's arguments equal strength - the professor's argument is much stronger and we are lead to sympathise with him more than we do with Carol in my opinion. Her motives are completely unclear and messy, and the narrative is so unrealistic because the truth is, false accusations are less than 1%. No woman (or man) actually enjoys accusing men of rape, because the process is so dehumanising, time consuming and embarrassing. In a MeToo era, that's a very dangerous and harmful stereotype to project. Mamet also paints a very unfair picture of 'support groups', acting as if they only exist to militarize women into ruining men's lives, rather than genuinely helping victims. And I can't help but feel like the violence at the end was secretly Mamet wanting to vicariously strike out against women in general. The play had potential, but Mamet makes it pretty obvious that he's just trying to demonise the feminist movement and social justice groups in general. I wish he gave both sides of the debate equal attention, it would make it much more compelling and I would respect him more as a writer if he was more neutral in his approach. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member A must watch. Absolutely prescient. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

      View All (19) Critics Reviews
      Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader To my mind, both characters come across as equally odious and equally tragic–so much so that one can see them only as different generational and gender-specific expressions of the same character flaws and the same perverse will to power... Rated: 3/4 Jun 7, 2022 Full Review Nell Minow Movie Mom Rated: 3/5 Jun 10, 2004 Full Review Robert Faires Austin Chronicle Rated: 4.5/5 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Oleanna‘s effectiveness is increasingly stymied by a grating, nails-on-a-chalkboard turn by Eisenstadt that slowly-but-surely transforms the picture into an intolerable experience... Rated: 2/4 Oct 28, 2022 Full Review Brian D. Johnson Maclean's Magazine Oleanna is less fanciful. But it, too, erects a wealth of clever dramatic detail on a contrived foundation as sound as the San Andreas Fault. Oct 9, 2019 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Overly schematic and the least effective screen adaptation of a David Mamet play. Rated: D Apr 30, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Flustered college student Carol (Debra Eisenstadt) visits John (William H. Macy), one of her professors, and asks how she can pass his class. The narcissistic instructor barely seems to notice her presence, and goes off on tangents relating to his own personal philosophies and problems while failing to answer the pupil. Later, a more assured Carol returns and accuses John of sexual harassment. The professor is baffled, but Carol remains steadfast in her claim, and their feud escalates nastily.
      Director
      David Mamet
      Screenwriter
      David Mamet
      Production Co
      The School Company, Bay Kinescope, The Samuel Goldwyn Company, Channel Four Films
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Nov 4, 1994, Limited
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Dec 7, 2017
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $120.2K
      Sound Mix
      Surround
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