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The Killing of John Lennon

Play trailer Poster for The Killing of John Lennon 2008 1h 54m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
38% Tomatometer 34 Reviews 46% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Disgruntled security guard Mark David Chapman (Jonas Ball) identifies so intensely with The Catcher in the Rye that he starts believing himself the novel's protagonist, Holden Caulfield. Like Holden, he hates phonies, and fixates on John Lennon as one of the worst. His contempt soon evolves into a murderous rage, and Chapman vows to kill Lennon. He flies from Hawaii to New York City twice, stalking the ex-Beatle until their fateful encounter outside the Dakota.
The Killing of John Lennon

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Critics Consensus

Despite a committed performance by newcomer Jonas Ball, The Killing of John Lennon is ultimately a flimsy character study.

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Critics Reviews

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Mark Rahner Seattle Times 03/21/2008
2/4
It's well-constructed and acted, but mainly just left me feeling like I needed a shower after an exercise in voyeurism surrounding an event that's still hard to watch. Go to Full Review
Sam Adams Los Angeles Times 02/15/2008
Gets inside Chapman's head but never under his skin. Go to Full Review
Kyle Smith New York Post 01/04/2008
1.5/4
Even if you can forgive [director] Piddington's mangling of the basics, you will find it hard to overlook his frantic use of slo-mo, a wobbly camera, freeze frames, double exposures and a close-up of a single eye. Go to Full Review
Troy Patterson Spin 09/05/2018
What Killing lacks in celebrity sparkle, it compensates for in raw ambition and rude chills. Go to Full Review
Dave White Movies.com 04/04/2011
3/5
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 07/15/2009
B-
A well-researched docudrama on the twisted mind of the 25-year-old Mark David Chapman, the nobody who killed John Lennon. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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01/11/2014 The assassination of legendary musician John Lennon was one of the most shocking moments in the history of music. The Killing of John Lennon is a disturbing character study about Lennon's killer, Mark David Chapman. This is the type of film that is no everyone due to its subject. Nonetheless, it's a well directed affair that is very well acted and has a tense atmosphere from start to finish. You really get a sense of how disturbed Chapman was, and actor Jonas Ball is very good in the part. The story is well thought out, and it grabs your attention from start to finish. I liked the film, and I thought that it was a very good drama that recounted a terrible tragedy. Lennon's death was tragic, and this film shows everything that leads right up to his death at the hand of Chapman. Brilliantly crafted, The Killing of John Lennon is a unique film experience because it really goes deep into the mind of the killer that was Chapman. As far as character studies go, this is among the finest that I have seen. The film manages to be disturbing, depressing and ultimately sad due to the fact that it revisits that fateful night of December 8th, 1980. Director Andrew Piddington delivers a standout drama, one that relies on a great cast and true story to make this picture truly standout. Like I said, this isn't a film for everyone, but if you enjoy character studies, then this is worth watching. Yes, it gets into the might of a depraved individual, but in doing so, you are mesmerized by the film's story. A well made picture, and one that is unforgettable. See more 06/17/2013 Horrible movie that tries to humanize a crazy person... Pointless and a complete waste of time (too bad there isn't a zero rating) See more 01/22/2013 The main problematic debacle is that the film lacks depth and appeal. The first of two unrelated "John Lennon assassination" films released relatively close to one other seems a bit tasteless of the film industry to profit from churning out mediocre propaganda tripe such as this. I love John Lennon and this film seems to be promoting the killer rather than Lennon's legendary status. See more 01/16/2013 One of the most controversial stories ever known and a end of an era. Interesting viewing after a bit of a slow start. Hopefully this was all based on what he did leading up to the shooting, it was quite extraordinary! See more 01/03/2013 i was 11 years old when john lennon was killed - too young to really understand what was going on. i guess a part of me always wondered what happened - the background, why did this guy do it? well this is a pretty good attempt to capture the madness that drove chapman to kill lennon - and it uses his own words. an interesting look at madness and obsession. See more 10/29/2012 Completely lacks any emotional insight into Chapman. See more Read all reviews
The Killing of John Lennon

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Movie Info

Synopsis Disgruntled security guard Mark David Chapman (Jonas Ball) identifies so intensely with The Catcher in the Rye that he starts believing himself the novel's protagonist, Holden Caulfield. Like Holden, he hates phonies, and fixates on John Lennon as one of the worst. His contempt soon evolves into a murderous rage, and Chapman vows to kill Lennon. He flies from Hawaii to New York City twice, stalking the ex-Beatle until their fateful encounter outside the Dakota.
Director
Andrew Piddington
Producer
Rakha Singh
Screenwriter
Andrew Piddington
Distributor
IFC First Take
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 2, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 19, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.7K
Runtime
1h 54m