The Hero

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2:23

The Hero

R

Released Jun 9, 2017

1h 36m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

115 Reviews

59%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Lee Hayden is a Western icon with a golden voice, but his best performances are decades behind him. He spends his days reliving old glories and smoking too much weed with his former co-star-turned-dealer, Jeremy, until a surprise cancer diagnosis brings his priorities into sharp focus. He soon strikes up an exciting, contentious relationship with stand-up comic Charlotte, and he attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Lucy, all while searching for one final role to cement his legacy.

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Critics Consensus

The Hero rests on Sam Elliott's understated performance, which proves more than capable of carrying the film through the less inspired moments of its somewhat clichéd story.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Quiet, personal and refreshingly introspective.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 30, 2017

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Calvin Wilson

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

It's one of his finest and most memorable performances. Unfortunately, the script fails to rise to the level of Elliott's artistry.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 29, 2017

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Johanna Schneller

Globe and Mail

Two good things are not enough to goose this all-too-familiar tale of a selfish man who wakes up one day, realizes that he blew it and scrambles to fix it before it's too late.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 23, 2017

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

The Hero is a sublime epistle to the silver screen specter cast by Sam Elliott.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 17, 2024

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Ian Brill

Battleship Pretension

While the film is a journeyman effort, The Hero's love for Elliott shines through in every scene. If you want to see an oft-supporting player get his due, this is the film.

Apr 13, 2021

Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

Sam Elliott is in almost every frame, bringing an easy charm that solidifies his leading man status while smoothing over the film's rough patches.

Rated: 2.5/5

Mar 1, 2021

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Kyle M

A dramatically routine contradictive mixture when weighing each aspectual boosts within the unbalanced shared discourse of an actor’s rejuvenated career and the need to reconcile, which briefly elaborate on reasonable levels. Not much to resonate if on the subservient relatable grounds besides appreciation drawn towards the nice cast and how well they performed, particularly Sam Elliot with his rare star vehicle in taking the helm at one of his best. (B)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/22/25

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SR C

I absolutely adore Sam Elliott, and even though there was food for thought in the plot, the storyline was slow and mundane. Elliott was a delight, but even he couldn't save this sorry movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/06/24

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Georgan G

Sam Elliott makes this movie. There are some thought provoking scenes. But it's mostly about how the end of life puts life into perspective.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/24

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Gayle F

I loved Sam Elliott in this role - very touching.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/29/23

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w r

This dog don't hunt. It started slow and stopped after 5 minutes but kept filming for years, at least it seemed like it.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Mark H

This is 5-star ranked, but only for those who have the "lifetime achievement" of being at or over 65 years-old. Everyone else...will just have to wait...and see if they make it there.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/12/22

Full Review

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Brett Haley

Director

Sam Elliott

Lee Hayden

Laura Prepon

Charlotte Dylan

Nick Offerman

Jeremy Frost

Krysten Ritter

Lucy Hayden

Katharine Ross

Valarie Hayden

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The Hero: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Lee Hayden is a Western icon with a golden voice, but his best performances are decades behind him. He spends his days reliving old glories and smoking too much weed with his former co-star-turned-dealer, Jeremy, until a surprise cancer diagnosis brings his priorities into sharp focus. He soon strikes up an exciting, contentious relationship with stand-up comic Charlotte, and he attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Lucy, all while searching for one final role to cement his legacy.

Director: Brett Haley
Producer: Houston King, Sam Bisbee, Erik Rommesmo
Screenwriter: Brett Haley, Marc Basch
Distributor: The Orchard
Production Co: Park Pictures, Northern Lights Films, Houston King
Rating: R (Language|Drug Use|Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 9, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 12, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.1M
Runtime: 1h 36m

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