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Q & A

Play trailer Poster for Q & A R Released Jul 11, 1990 2h 12m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 24 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
When veteran cop Captain Michael Brennan (Nick Nolte) shoots a Puerto Rican hood, the crime is made to practically disappear. Witnesses are threatened, and Brennan's brutal reputation ensures silence. Young district attorney Aloysius Al Francis Reilly (Timothy Hutton) takes on the case, and must risk everything to prosecute Brennan. The investigation hinges on the testimony of a Puerto Rican drug boss (Armand Assante), who is dating Reilly's ex-girlfriend.
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Q & A

Critics Reviews

View All (24) Critics Reviews
Derek Adams Time Out While this tough, fundamentally sound New York thriller has its moments, it's no Prince of the City. Feb 9, 2006 Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times ''Q and A'' is most memorable for its performances, beginning with Mr. Nolte's. Rated: 3/5 May 20, 2003 Full Review Hal Hinson Washington Post Unfortunately, Lumet isn't the brawny social commentator he would like to be -- he's a Jimmy Breslin manque'. Jan 1, 2000 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...deliberate yet thoroughly watchable... Rated: 3/4 Aug 3, 2022 Full Review Andrew L. Urban Urban Cinefile A New York at odds with Woody Allen's, albeit also filled with angst; where Allen dissects the middle class in the throes of its own insecurities, Lumet cruises the underbelly Jun 19, 2009 Full Review James Berardinelli ReelViews Q & A is testimony to the validity of the old adage: a good story, when well told, can never be told too many times. Rated: 3/4 Aug 11, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Never seen a Nick Nolte movie I didn't like. This movie may not look as impressive today as it did when it came out but it's still a classic good cop bad cop movie and the way Nolte plays it pulls you in and keeps you engaged all the way. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/01/24 Full Review Jack S Perhaps a gritty crime drama in its day, Q&A's commentary around racism and corruption in government no longer packs much of a punch. The film begins well, but then begins to drag as it goes along its overlong and predictable way. The actors are generally good, but Nolte's truly creepy character comes on too strong, and Hutton's is weak and ineffective beyond mere inexperience, particularly in a couple awkward scenes involving a former love interest. Only Assante rises above to create a compelling and magnetic character. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 12/07/23 Full Review ed m Good crime drama. Not Sidney Lumet's best, but enjoyable. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/30/23 Full Review Tim V a totally underrated intense gritty crime drama. a great cast and a great story. i love this movie. i've watched it more than a dozen times and it never gets old. one of the best song for movie matches ever. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/01/23 Full Review Audience Member While the grittier texture and the embracing of the various seedier plot elements felt reminiscent of some of Lumet's more well known work, I could never really get into this generic cat and mouse game between a corrupt cop and the assistant DA trying to catch him. Although this was released in 1990, this film felt pure 1980s to me and featured the trio of Nolte, Hutton, and Assante to reinforce this vibe throughout. I actually did appreciate the conclusion as well and while definitely not the worst film, I still never really felt any stake in the outcome. 5.5/10 Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Sidney Lumet is well versed in crafting corrupt cop thrillers, he's the man behind Serpico (1973) and Prince Of The City (1981). While this never hits the heights of the former, Q&A is an intricately designed police procedural, with pretty damning conclusions to take from it. When dirty cop Mike shoots a man and plants a gun on him, rookie assistant DA Al gets the case. Something in Mike's 'Q&A' doesn't sit right, and this launches a journey through a sewer of racism, corruption and violence. Nick Nolte is impressively despicable as Mike, and the crux of the film really has rotten heart. It's not an easy watch listening to some of the cops talking trash, but it is chillingly relevant today, despite being thirty years old this year. Q&A is worth a watch, and can be found on DVD, if you can track it down. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Q & A

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Cast & Crew

L.A. Confidential 99% 94% L.A. Confidential Watchlist Heat 83% 94% Heat Watchlist TRAILER for Heat Night Falls on Manhattan 72% 64% Night Falls on Manhattan Watchlist Internal Affairs 79% 59% Internal Affairs Watchlist Traces of Red 29% 42% Traces of Red Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis When veteran cop Captain Michael Brennan (Nick Nolte) shoots a Puerto Rican hood, the crime is made to practically disappear. Witnesses are threatened, and Brennan's brutal reputation ensures silence. Young district attorney Aloysius Al Francis Reilly (Timothy Hutton) takes on the case, and must risk everything to prosecute Brennan. The investigation hinges on the testimony of a Puerto Rican drug boss (Armand Assante), who is dating Reilly's ex-girlfriend.
Director
Sidney Lumet
Producer
Burtt Harris, Arnon Milchan
Screenwriter
Edwin Torres, Sidney Lumet
Distributor
TriStar Pictures
Production Co
Odyssey, Regency Enterprises
Rating
R
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 11, 1990, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 15, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$10.5M
Runtime
2h 12m
Sound Mix
Dolby, Surround
Aspect Ratio
35mm
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