The Conspirator

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The Conspirator

PG-13

Released Apr 15, 2011

2h 1m

History

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

56%

Tomatometer

171 Reviews

62%

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10,000+ Ratings

Following the assassination of President Lincoln, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill Lincoln, the vice president and the secretary of state. Lawyer Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) reluctantly agrees to defend the lone woman, Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), who owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and others met to plan their crimes. Aiken realizes that Mary may be innocent and being used as bait to capture her son, a suspect who is still at large.

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Critics Consensus

The Conspirator is well cast and tells a worthy story, but many viewers will lack the patience for Redford's deliberate, stagebound approach.

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Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

This may be a talky court drama, competent rather than inspired, but the fact that it is based on truth lends its argument force.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 1, 2011

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

A very stately, bland piece of work, perhaps best shown to high school history classes.

Rated: 2/5

Jun 30, 2011

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Tim Robey

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Makes you pause and consider, not the fragility of justice and human rights in extreme circumstances, but the fusty and enfeebled condition to which Robert Redford's filmmaking has sunk.

Rated: 2/5

Jun 30, 2011

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

A motion picture with the stuffy manner of historical reenactment, though it recalls a devastating incident in US history that has since been forgotten by the general public.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 31, 2023

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Robert Redford directs a solid ensemble of actors with impeccable discretion . [Full review in Spanish]

Aug 9, 2022

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Cory Woodroof

Lumination Network

Nevertheless, this film will appeal to those that love history and those who havent touched a history book since high school.

Feb 11, 2022

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Madam D

Goes to show that following the law is not always what courts do. History will hopefully record how the current courts are screwing up.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/26/25

Full Review

Jelisije J

Another well done true story directed by Robert Redford that deals with the post assassination attempt of the conspirators who killed Abraham Lincoln and one lawyer who has to defend one of the conspirators who we the audience must decide whether she was guilty or not.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/04/25

Full Review

Audience Member

This movie turns the tragedy of Lincoln's assassination into a rule of law court room drama. Booth viewed Lincoln as a tyrant and was angered that Lincoln was going to give voting rights to African Americans after the war. But somehow Surratt was a victim because she was tried by a military tribunal. I did like that this film was historical and based on actual events. The acting and directing overall were good.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/28/24

Full Review

Marina P

It's about the rule of law, constitutional law, not the rule of fear in the name of keeping a country in order and "safe".

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/08/24

Full Review

Nathan T

A bit too one-sided in its telling of events, but not bad.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/24

Full Review

Tom L

Well written and acted. Pulls you in emotionally. Worth watching.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/14/23

Full Review

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Robert Redford

Director

James McAvoy

Frederick Aiken

Robin Wright

Mary Surratt

Kevin Kline

Secretary Edwin M. Stanton

Evan Rachel Wood

Anna Surratt

Danny Huston

Joseph Holt

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Synopsis

Following the assassination of President Lincoln, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill Lincoln, the vice president and the secretary of state. Lawyer Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) reluctantly agrees to defend the lone woman, Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), who owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and others met to plan their crimes. Aiken realizes that Mary may be innocent and being used as bait to capture her son, a suspect who is still at large.

Director: Robert Redford
Producer: Robert Redford, Greg Shapiro, Bill Holderman, Brian Falk, Robert Stone
Screenwriter: James D. Solomon
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Production Co: The American Film Company
Rating: PG-13 (Some Violent Content)
Genre: History, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 15, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 11, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.5M
Runtime: 2h 1m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

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