Rules Don't Apply

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2:15

Rules Don't Apply

PG-13

2016

2h 1m

Comedy

Drama

Romance

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Popcornmeter

56%

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178 Reviews

34%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Small-town beauty queen and devout Baptist Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins), under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty), arrives in Los Angeles. At the airport, she meets her driver, Frank Forbes, only two weeks on the job and also from a religiously conservative background. Their instant attraction not only puts their religious convictions to the test but also defies Hughes' number one rule: no employee is allowed to have an intimate relationship with a contract actress.

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Critics Consensus

With Rules Don't Apply, Warren Beatty takes an overall affable -- but undeniably slight -- look at a corner of old Hollywood under Howard Hughes' distinctive shadow.

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Kristen Lopez

Culturess

Everything...is undercooked, half-thought and damn near incomprehensible.

Nov 20, 2017

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Wenlei Ma

News.com.au

Beatty has made a beautiful-to-look-at film making full cinematic use of its glamorous period setting. But despite having all the ingredients for a charming movie, like Howard Hughes, Rules Don't Apply's soul remains elusive.

Rated: 2.5/5

May 2, 2017

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

A richly satirical portrait of American double standards.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 28, 2017

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Beatty's lofty ambitions for this project are undone by the story and presentation's general unevenness.

Rated: 2/4

Apr 5, 2022

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Viewers who can get on the film's wavelength will find much to enjoy, but there's no denying the picture is slight in the extreme.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 17, 2021

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Charlotte Harrison

Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies

Written, directed and starring Warren Beatty (playing Hollywood eccentric and legendary billionaire Howard Hughes) this is a love story of sorts to the era of Golden Hollywood...

Apr 13, 2021

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Monic Kenya M

Intentions to show a real Hollywood and DBL standards, even with a promising cast failed completely. Not impressed by Beatty s directing.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

10/14/25

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Kawika L

A real surprise. Sneaky good script and brilliant cast. Best Hughes movie out there, and Warren Beatty adds to his rep as one of the best ever.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/31/25

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bob c

Beatty is as usual great to watch, but his writing and directing not quite so much. Indeed, he’s downgraded his own character Howard Hughes and upgraded the much less interesting young romancers. And I cared little for them. Hughes on the other hand! President Bartlett gets a mini cameo as do a couple of others. But it hinges on Warren/Howard and there’s not enough of him.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/25/25

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Stephen C

Failed dramedy in 2 hours and 1 minute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/28/25

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Redbil A

So you've seen Scorsese' 'The Aviator' version with DiCaprio's intense version of Howard Hughes. In this you get Beatty's crackpot loony version of Hughes. Somewhere in the middle of both movies is the truth. This was a great watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/23/24

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Alec B

More humorous than I expected. It's kind of a mess, but I still admire Beatty's bizarre vision.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

Full Review

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Warren Beatty

Director

Warren Beatty

Howard Hughes

Lily Collins

Marla Mabrey

Alden Ehrenreich

Frank Forbes

Annette Bening

Lucy Mabrey

Matthew Broderick

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Rules Don't Apply: Music Trailer

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Rules Don't Apply: Trailer 3

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Rules Don't Apply: Trailer 2

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Rules Don't Apply: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Small-town beauty queen and devout Baptist Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins), under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty), arrives in Los Angeles. At the airport, she meets her driver, Frank Forbes, only two weeks on the job and also from a religiously conservative background. Their instant attraction not only puts their religious convictions to the test but also defies Hughes' number one rule: no employee is allowed to have an intimate relationship with a contract actress.

Director: Warren Beatty
Producer: Warren Beatty, Arnon Milchan, Brett Ratner, James Packer, Christopher Woodrow, Frank Giustra, Steve Bing, Terry Semel
Screenwriter: Warren Beatty
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Ratpac Entertainment, Regency Enterprises, Worldview Entertainment, Shangri-La Entertainment, Demarest Films
Rating: PG-13 (Drug References|Brief Strong Language|Sexual Material|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 23, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 14, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.6M
Runtime: 2h 1m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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