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Paterno

TV-MA 2018 1h 45m Drama Biography TRAILER for List
71% Tomatometer 41 Reviews 49% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Penn State football coach Joe Paterno becomes embroiled in a sexual abuse scandal.
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Paterno

Paterno

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Critics Consensus

Paterno, elevated by deft direction from Barry Levinson and a strong Al Pacino performance, presents a hard-hitting dramatization of a gut-wrenching real-life story.

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Critics Reviews

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Verne Gay Newsday Brilliant as ever, [Al] Pacino is the master trickster who manages to both demonize and humanize Paterno. Rated: 3.5/4 Apr 19, 2018 Full Review Mike Hale New York Times Mr. Levinson lays this out with considerable skill and energy. Apr 9, 2018 Full Review Ben Travers indieWire It speaks to viewers with disparate reactions, but it also speaks to anyone who didn't dig into the scandal at the time by outlining what happens when we are too quick to defend the famous faces instead of those claiming to be victimized by them. Rated: A- Apr 9, 2018 Full Review Kenneth Seward Jr. IGN Movies The plot’s structuring is odd and nothing’s fleshed out enough for the audience to derive anything significant. It is a somewhat, evenhanded dramatization of true events though (sans the bits towards the end). Rated: 6.7/10 Jul 26, 2023 Full Review Jeff York Creative Screenwriting It is a heavy series of events for any biographical film to dramatize, and HBO's film... does a crackerjack job of showing just how devastating it was. Oct 17, 2019 Full Review Matt Ward Cinematic Considerations Paterno attempts to say a lot of things about a lot of different subject matters... None of them are achieved particularly well. Nov 5, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Shioka O Performance is excellent. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 11/29/22 Full Review Audience Member I thought it was good overall as we get a look into this coaching legend and the people around him who loved him dearly on campus and off. It would have been nice to see more into the life of Paterno rather than just the end which was marred by the sex scandal and his innocent eyes that didn't see it from Sandusky Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Daniel N Another sleek performance by Al Pacino with a thrilling story that evolves nicely through all the film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/21 Full Review Audience Member Boring movie with a great actor. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member A fascinating, insightful look at a college football legendary coach's end, as he fell from grace amidst much controversy and horrific scandal. Al Pacino and humble and reserved with incredible ease. Barry Levinson's approach was earnest and fairly raw, if not all but feeling incomplete to the greater issues at hand. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member This HBO movie about Joe Paterno was good but depressing as well. Al Pacino and the rest of the cast did an excellent job in bringing this scandal to life. It was shocking to learn what happened during this scandal and how long it had been going on. Joe Paterno should've reported Jerry Sandusky the moment he heard about his dark side. Paterno was a legendary football coach and he just ruined his legacy in a blink of an eye. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus 33% 63% Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus Soorma 50% 87% Soorma TRAILER for Soorma All the Way 85% 83% All the Way TRAILER for All the Way Tiger 38% 80% Tiger TRAILER for Tiger 55 Steps 50% 84% 55 Steps TRAILER for 55 Steps Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Penn State football coach Joe Paterno becomes embroiled in a sexual abuse scandal.
Director
Barry Levinson
Screenwriter
Debora Cahn, David McKenna, John C. Richards
Production Co
Edward R. Pressman Film Corp., The Levinson/Fontana Company
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 6, 2018
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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