Red Joan

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2:18

Red Joan

R

2019

1h 50m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

30%

Tomatometer

150 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Joan Stanley is a widow living out a quiet retirement in the suburbs when, shockingly, the British Secret Service places her under arrest. The charge: providing classified scientific information - including details on the building of the atomic bomb - to the Soviet government for decades. As the interrogation gets underway, Joan relives the dramatic events that shaped her life and her beliefs.

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Critics Consensus

A fascinating real-life story dramatized in perplexingly dull fashion, Red Joan wastes its tale's incredible intrigue -- as well as the formidable talents of Judi Dench.

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Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

03/10/2020

Every plot point and every character insight gets delivered with the same manufactured smoothness; the movie is naggingly bland in the way one associates with "respectable" British cinema.

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

06/06/2019

3/5

In technical terms, it's a proficiently made film by the evergreen Trevor Nunn -- or it would be if it were not so determined to embrace all the cliches of the moment, both about British spies and films for women.

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Adam Graham

Detroit News

05/03/2019

C-

This period drama is stuffy and slow, told in a clumsy way to justify Dench's casting and presence, and is still a waste of her time.

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Calum Cooper

Source (Scotland)

07/14/2024

2/5

Consider the overall picture, and you’re left with a flavourless film that fudges the food for thought it could’ve offered.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

12/07/2020

6/10

For all the faults of editing and storytelling, Cookson still gives a striking performance.

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Charles Koplinski

Reel Talk with Chuck and Pam

11/20/2020

2.5/4.0

Though the film tells an intriguing story, director Trevor Nunn's approach is bland while the movie's pace flirts with tedium throughout.

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Peter B

@PeterBeGood Apr 27

Obvious goof––the young Joan working in a laboratory wears welding goggles while soldering! Good luck seeing anything!

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Kalissa H.

@kali_416 Dec 15

Entertaining and interesting

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Mary D

@RT57751506 Sep 20

Dame Judi Dench is spectacular in this film produced in 2019. It is based on a true story. I can't believe all of the negative comments. The young Joan is spectacular. The story is intriguing and unique. The REASON Joan did what she did is very credible. History shows her motives resulted in no additional World Wars. That is pretty spectacular, I'd say. Seriously. I can't believe the ratings.

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Jim P

@RT08384096 07/20/2024

You may have seen the over-hyped movie Oppenheimer, but I think this is better. Also easier to follow!

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Julia G

@RT84813820 02/05/2024

Boring movie about a fascinating story. You know every plotpoint in advance and nothing ist really interesting or suprising in this flick.

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Andrea M

@RT67041045 01/13/2024

This isn't movie that puts you in a happy mood, but that doesn't make it bad. This movie was quite pleasent to see. It may not be 100% historicly accurate, but it doesn't have to be sence the true story was only an inspiration. It has a good dynamic, there wasn't a part of the movie where I was bored and in my opinion the story isn't going too slow.

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Trevor Nunn

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Joan

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Red Joan: Trailer 1

2:18

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Synopsis

Joan Stanley is a widow living out a quiet retirement in the suburbs when, shockingly, the British Secret Service places her under arrest. The charge: providing classified scientific information - including details on the building of the atomic bomb - to the Soviet government for decades. As the interrogation gets underway, Joan relives the dramatic events that shaped her life and her beliefs.

Director: Trevor Nunn
Producer: David Parfitt
Screenwriter: Lindsay Shapero
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Trademark Films
Rating: R (Brief Sexuality/Nudity)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller, Crime
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 19, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 13, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.6M
Runtime: 1h 50m