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Red Riding: 1974

Play trailer Poster for Red Riding: 1974 Released Feb 5, 2010 1h 42m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
When a young girl goes missing, Yorkshire Post crime reporter Eddie Dunford (Andrew Garfield) becomes intrigued by a series of mysterious child murders that date back several years and mirror to the current case. He faces stiff opposition from the local police and his editor, Bill (John Henshaw). Eddie's troubles escalate when he becomes involved with a moody widow (Rebecca Hall) who has a mysterious connection to wealthy developer John Dawson (Sean Bean).
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Red Riding: 1974

Critics Reviews

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Tom Long Detroit News The Red Riding films all come across as great, gritty tales of police corruption and human failing, but it's the first film that has the most impact, mainly because the young reporter Dunford is such a mix of romantic notions. Rated: A Mar 19, 2010 Full Review Kimberley Jones Austin Chronicle This is a noir, the kind where the good-for-nothing gumshoe (here, an investigative reporter) has a habit of getting his face bashed in, usually on account of a girl. Rated: 4/5 Mar 19, 2010 Full Review Sam Adams Philadelphia City Paper Each film is enriched by collective detail, but it would have been richer had they played off each other rather than extending the argument. Rated: B Mar 11, 2010 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review On its own, the film works wonderfully as a piece about corruption overtaking a naïve idealist, but its emotional impact draws us in, compelling the audience to return now that the stage is set. Rated: 3.5/4 Aug 22, 2023 Full Review Taylor Baker Drink in the Movies Episode 30: Capernaum / The Red Riding Trilogy / High Flying Bird Rated: 86/100 Sep 9, 2021 Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row Beautifully directed by Jarrold, 1974 is a haunting and frightening portrait of a man willing to find the answers at all costs that approaches Zodiac in its quality. Rated: 3.5/4 Aug 5, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Watched this a few days ago and it has stayed with me. It would be easy to churn out the usual "gritty northern drama" cliche but it's more than that. The emotion is so raw and the bare and stripped-back nature of the performances lead to a real sense of loss and emptiness at the conclusion. The enevitability is excruciating not just for the characters but for the audience too. A true piece of cinematic art. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/05/25 Full Review David M. Really did not enjoy, played out, a sad waste of time to what had real potential. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 08/25/25 Full Review James H Just wow. It's a tough movie to watch, in that it shows, realistically, what depravity and cowardice exist in so many hearts and minds. It seems a reasonable portrayal of America, 2025, where money and power trump truth and justice every day. Just brutal. Andrew Garfield is brilliant. Tragic, but brilliant. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/30/25 Full Review Dean P I saw this when it was promoted and shown on Channel 4 over 15years or so. After rewatching the 1974 chapter, and about to work on the 1980’s and the final 1990’s episodes, all I can say is that is remains an exemplary work of art! The script, cinematography, sets, and acting from some of the most talented British actors is simply outstanding. The lead actors are backed up with some very strong (and at the time up and coming) actor’s performances that is unmissable. The overall story line is a gradual revealer, which will (having seen it before) beautifully designed to eventually dovetail together to provide an deeply unsettling but well constructed and produced storyline, which perfectly captures and reflects each decades societies values and attitudes (having lived through each one). To some younger viewers these images of 70’s to 90’s societies may seem more like fiction, but in these were real living conditions for parts of the country during those times. One to watch…without doubt! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/09/25 Full Review Clinton R Along with its stable mates this one-third of the trilogy is dreadful in every way. No offense, but those wafting about art genre have been smoking too much during the smoke-filled, fuzzy badly directed and scored16mm film. It really is terrible. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/22/25 Full Review John C If you really want to get the feel (I can only imagine it's somewhat accurate, being an American) of the place, read the book: every surface feels covered in cigarette smoke and slopped whiskey, along with the grime and despair of that time in North England. I didn't quite feel the same atmosphere in the film, and because it has to set the scene and the dynamics between a bewildering array of personalities (many of whom are cut out of the film altogether), it ends up not delivering as strongly. Andrew Garfield is an OK actor but couldn't pull off the same desperation and darkness that Peace brought to the character in the book. The film does a bit better to clear up some of the confusing plot lines, but ultimately falls a little flat. Even if you're not much of a reader, I recommend the book as it moves fast and straightforward like a screenplay but with enough interior dialogue in that terse dialect of working-class England. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Red Riding: 1974

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Movie Info

Synopsis When a young girl goes missing, Yorkshire Post crime reporter Eddie Dunford (Andrew Garfield) becomes intrigued by a series of mysterious child murders that date back several years and mirror to the current case. He faces stiff opposition from the local police and his editor, Bill (John Henshaw). Eddie's troubles escalate when he becomes involved with a moody widow (Rebecca Hall) who has a mysterious connection to wealthy developer John Dawson (Sean Bean).
Director
Julian Jarrold
Producer
Wendy Brazington, Andrew Eaton
Screenwriter
Tony Grisoni
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Revolution Films, Lipsync Productions, Channel Four Films
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 5, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 22, 2016
Runtime
1h 42m
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