>
This road-trip movie about an autistic savant and his callow brother is far from seamless, but Barry Levinson's direction is impressive, and strong performances from Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman add to its appeal. Read critic reviews
What to know
You might also like
See More
Stand by Me
My Cousin Vinny
Good Will Hunting
Scent of a Woman
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
Where to watch Rain Man
Watch Rain Man with a subscription on Amazon Prime Video, rent on Apple TV, Vudu, or buy on Vudu.
Rate And Review
-
What did you think of the movie? (optional)
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
What did you think of the movie? (optional)
How did you buy your ticket?
-
Fandango
-
AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew
-
Cinemark Coming Soon
We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
-
Regal Coming Soon
We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
-
Theater box office or somewhere else
Rain Man Photos
Movie Info
When car dealer Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) learns that his estranged father has died, he returns home to Cincinnati, where he discovers that he has an autistic older brother named Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) and that his father's $3 million fortune is being left to the mental institution in which Raymond lives. Motivated by his father's money, Charlie checks Raymond out of the facility in order to return with him to Los Angeles. The brothers' cross-country trip ends up changing both their lives.
-
Rating: R
-
Genre: Drama
-
Original Language: English
-
Director: Barry Levinson
-
Producer: Mark Johnson
-
Writer: Ronald Bass, Barry Morrow
-
Release Date (Theaters): wide
-
Release Date (Streaming):
-
Box Office (Gross USA): $171.2M
-
Runtime:
-
Distributor: MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., United Artists
-
Production Co: Guber-Peters Company
-
Sound Mix: Surround
-
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)
Cast & Crew
News & Interviews for Rain Man
Critic Reviews for Rain Man
Audience Reviews for Rain Man
-
While this movie certainly follows the typical road movie tropes, I think it does rise above that thanks to Barry Levinson's direction and Dustin Hoffman's and Tom Cruise's incredible performances. I wasn't expecting to become as invested in the movie, the characters and the story as I did. I was expecting it to be great, but one of those movies that hasn't aged well. Boy, how wrong was I about that. The story certainly follows a very rigid formula. Narcissistic Charlie finds out that his dead father has left $3 million to a brother he never knew he had, who has been in an institution for over 20 years because of his autism. Charlie, angered by the fact that his father, who he hasn't seen for over a decade, left him absolutely nothing, "kidnaps" Raymond in order to get his hand on some of that money to save his ailing car business. On the drive to Las Vegas, as Raymond refused to get on a plane, Charlie is annoyed by his brother's disability and his adherence to rituals. Charlie treats Raymond like crap due to his ignorance about autism. I think the movie handles the subject as seriously as they possibly could given the fact that, I'm sure, autism awareness wasn't as widespread as it is today. If there is a problem is that sometimes Raymond can come across as a muppet. Someone to be pitied and babied and not as an actual human being. To be fair, this is only a REALLY minor problem of the film. It's limited to maybe one or two short scenes. The rest of the film handles the subject matter with complexity and respect. I really liked how Raymond and Charlie's relationship developed in this movie, because Charlie's change feels subtle and gradual. It's the next logical step in the story because of the fact that Charlie's mother died when he was 2, he stopped talking to his father after he was 16, and he spent his entire life not knowing about his brother. So that makes Charlie's fight to be able to keep Raymond all the more believable. This is the only family he has left, and he doesn't want to let that chance go away. This really is one of Tom Cruise's best performances, it is subtle and nuanced. Again his change feels natural, instead of forced and contrived. It's particularly complex, because Charlie has made a connection with his brother, who may not even understand the concept of emotions. So that adds a little dramatic depth, he wants to take care of someone who may NEVER show him that affection. Of course it goes without sayings that Dustin Hoffman is incredible here. Hoffman has always been a greatly respected actor, but sometimes I don't think he gets as much credit as he deserves for his influence and talents. I take off my hat to him for this performance, as far as making him look like a muppet, I blame some of the scripting for that and not Dustin Hoffman. I thought the story was very sweet without becoming sappy. Again, it all feels natural and organic rather than contrived and forced. I can't say enough good about this movie. Yes, its adherence to formula has been noted. But I think the writing, directing and acting do make this a sweet and funny look at how the relationship between these brothers develops and how Raymond's disability affects that, both positively and 'negatively'. This is an excellent movie, so I'd definitely recommend this.
jesse o Super Reviewer -
Both funny and interesting, Rain Man is a good film. Dustin Hoffman steals it with his insanely good performance as a sort of alternatively autistic man who is good with big numbers but bad with basic things like speaking and socializing. A very young Tom Cruise is also great.
-
The 1988 best picture winner, was more than a worthwhile drama. The touching story of a brother (re)unification went from comedic to depressing in minutes, and then back to comedic. I felt like the manipulation only added to the realism that this film provided. I was never bored, and while the same things did happen again and again, I didn't find it repetitive. Then of course I must praise the awesome performances from Cruise and Hoffman, which were the core of this film. Without the genuine great acting the film would collapse upon itself, and I believe this to be the most powerful Cruise has ever been on screen. The ending was predictable, but still emotionally felt. I shouldn't have delayed this watch for so long. 3.5+++
-
From director Barry Levinson comes the touching dramatic comedy Rain Man. After his father dies, young entrepreneur Charlie Babbitt discovers that he has an estranged brother who suffers from a debilitating case of autism. Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman lead the cast and deliver great performance: the chemistry they have is especially good, and really helps to sell the brotherly relationship. However, there are some pacing issues that cause the film to drag at times, and the plot has some weaknesses as well. Rain Man is a heartwarming tale that's both entertaining and sincere.
Verified