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The Way of the Gun

R Released Sep 8, 2000 1h 59m Crime Drama List
46% Tomatometer 134 Reviews 70% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
They make no excuses. They don't ask forgiveness. Their story is without compromise, brutal and simple. For contemporary desperados Parker and associate Longbaugh, crime means survival at any cost. Their impromptu plan to kidnap surrogate mother Robin, just weeks from delivering the son of Hale and Francesca Chidduck, seems to be a fast way to cash in on a fat ransom and head for the border. But their haste does indeed make waste.
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Critics Consensus

Christopher McQuarrie may exhibit a way behind the camera in the stylish The Way of the Gun, but his script falters with dull characterization and a plot so needlessly twisty that most viewers will be ready to tune out before the final reveal.

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Critics Reviews

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Stephen Hunter Washington Post It's good fun for bad boys. Jun 18, 2019 Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post Writer-director Christopher McQuarrie, who wrote The Usual Suspects, has made a film that I admire more than I love, whose ending makes me recoil emotionally, even as I recommend the thing. Jun 18, 2019 Full Review Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal The Way of the Gun is doomy trash, a blood-soaked saga of remorseless killers and natural-born blatherers. I'm sure I've seen worse movies, but nothing so steadfastly unpleasant comes to mind. Jun 17, 2019 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia Its criminal story has a start that keeps me interested until half an hour in, but then its path loses its degree of effect between violent shootouts, weak characters and a boring plot, in general, about hellish pregnancies. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 6/10 Dec 2, 2023 Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal We can still smirk at the flashy mechanics of "The Usual Suspects" and justly so. But "The Way of the Gun" leaves us a little more stone-faced and somber, contemplating all we've denied ourselves because we feel somehow incapable or unworthy. Rated: 4.5/5 Oct 8, 2020 Full Review Alan Jones Radio Times Outrageous, unrelenting and blood-soaked. Rated: 3/5 Jun 25, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Gabriel G One of my favorite movies, a screenplay with no fat . A movie that you can watch over and over again and still catch something new . Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/22/24 Full Review Christopher W This is one of the most underrated films of my lifetime. If you don't pay attention you will miss half of this movie. Characters placed in the background of a shot are as important as those in the forefront. There are no redeemable characters here either, except maybe one; maybe there is one hero after all, can you figure out who? Can you figure out why? The plot is complex, the relationships too, if a little convinient, are riddled with the same complexity. There is no excusing anyones actions and there is very little redemtion. But there is a depth of film making here rarely seen. Mcquarrie refuses to hold the hand of the audience, he hides whole conversations in unexplored actions and shared looks between the characters. Leaving the audience to have to think. And this is why I love this film. It is satisfying in a way few others are and remains in my all time top 5 films. If you have an eye for detail and a mind attracted to puzzles, the human relationships buried within this masterpiece are worth unearthing and unravelling, and though you might not get the ending you were hoping for, you should arrive at one even better. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/09/24 Full Review Michael M A very underrated movie. I always like Del Toro but Phillippe I was really pleasantly surprised by. Good action flick and the parking lot scene with Silverman was hilarious and I don't really like her, maybe I just enjoyed seeing her get punched in the face. This movie is really good and it once again proves why I never listen to the critics. Typically if they hate it I know it's probably worth seeing and this held true once again. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/31/23 Full Review Mike W This movie is a cult classic and one the best crime drama's made in the last 2000s. years. In Music, Acting, Script & Direction this movie is a master's course in what film can be. The dialog and the late James Caan stand out. Joe Sarno might be Caan's best performance. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/20/23 Full Review Stu F This film is a mutha!! I don't want to lift your expectations to high but I would strongly recommend you to go and watch this. I saw it in theatres originally and it blew me away. Looking at the reviews here I would say this is a great example of Professional Reviewers not knowing what they are talking about. It's a great script. It's smart not overly clever and takes the audience with it. The direction is awesome, and it's not overly talkie, unlike a Tarantino film, the director is often happy to let an actor do it with a look rather than a word. Full of realistic action but most of all, full of tension. (And with a few laughs too.) Sometimes we are not sure where the film is going, in a slightly scary way (like the opening scene outside of a club.) This reminds me of a young Tarantino with Pulp Fiction. I'm so pleased that McQuarrie has gone from strength to strength - his intelligence and authenticity allow him to work on many of the biggest studio films in the world. Whilst Tarantino is stuck as some sort of caricature of himself, writing the same overly talkie films again and again. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/19/23 Full Review Colin M Two guys seeking quick riches through a kidnapping. Confusing action movie with some great lines and a lot going on. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Way of the Gun

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Cast & Crew

The Way of the Gun

The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - I'm Joe Sarno The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - I'm Joe Sarno 3:34 The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Bullets and Broken Glass The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Bullets and Broken Glass 2:52 The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Pregnant Pause The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Pregnant Pause 2:32 The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Sperm Donors The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Sperm Donors 1:47 The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Stopped by Sarno The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Stopped by Sarno 2:59 The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Raving Bitch Knock-Out The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Raving Bitch Knock-Out 2:06 The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Second Thoughts The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Second Thoughts 2:51 The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Shootout at the Whorehouse The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Shootout at the Whorehouse 3:09 The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Longshot for Mr. Longbaugh The Way of the Gun: Official Clip - Longshot for Mr. Longbaugh 2:52 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis They make no excuses. They don't ask forgiveness. Their story is without compromise, brutal and simple. For contemporary desperados Parker and associate Longbaugh, crime means survival at any cost. Their impromptu plan to kidnap surrogate mother Robin, just weeks from delivering the son of Hale and Francesca Chidduck, seems to be a fast way to cash in on a fat ransom and head for the border. But their haste does indeed make waste.
Director
Christopher McQuarrie
Producer
Kenneth Kokin
Screenwriter
Christopher McQuarrie
Distributor
Artisan Entertainment
Production Co
Artisan Entertainment
Rating
R (Sexuality|Language|Violence)
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 8, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
May 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.0M
Runtime
1h 59m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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