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Who'll Stop the Rain?

Play trailer Poster for Who'll Stop the Rain? R Released Aug 2, 1978 2h 5m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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81% Tomatometer 16 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A jaded journalist, John (Michael Moriarty), and a Vietnam vet, Ray (Nick Nolte), are adrift after returning home from the war. With not much to lose, they hatch a scheme to smuggle heroin from Vietnam into the U.S., which stands to make them a fortune. Instead, the pair and John's wife (Tuesday Weld) find themselves on the run from drug dealers and a crooked DEA agent (Anthony Zerbe). Along the way, Ray shows their opponents some of the useful combat skills he picked up in the war.
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Who'll Stop the Rain?

Critics Reviews

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Derek Malcolm Guardian A film that should be seen, just as Stone's book should be read. If it leaves a deliberately nasty taste in the mouth, it underrates no one's intelligence in the process. Jul 8, 2025 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times The movie works mostly because it's so well told on the narrative level. Rated: 3/4 Jun 16, 2018 Full Review Gary Arnold Washington Post A remarkably faithful and astute adaptation of a strong novel, the film condenses Stone's book, which won the National Book Award for fiction in 1975, without doing irreparable damage to its story, principal characters or larger meanings. Apr 30, 2018 Full Review Philip French Observer (UK) The best movie made in America by a European director since John Boorman's Point Blank and one of the few about the Vietnam experience likely to prove of permanent interest. Jul 8, 2025 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) Who'll Stop the Rain is a film that is repugnant and excellent at the same time. It's the classic dichotomy of depth versus form, or vice versa. [Full review in Spanish] Jan 18, 2024 Full Review Ellin Stein Berkeley Barb Who'll Stop the Rain is a suspense-adventure movie given greater weight and complexity by undertones of moral questions which, if unsolved, are at least raised. May 12, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Moreau D LE MONDE EST STONE. La guerre est tout autour, la guerre est de retour. Un retour du Vietnam embarrassant, révolté et raté. Le riche est le pauvre dans l'enfer qu'il se crée. Le quotidien du free cinéma et d'un amputé moral. La guerre est finie si vous le désirez. Michael Cimino a aimé. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 04/24/25 Full Review bob c Very dated period classic. A parable about the Vietnam defeat, the end of hippie, and the beginning of the drugs epidemic. By current standards the acting and action are hopeless. Nick’s hair is a marvel. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/25 Full Review CodyZamboni Z Watchable action drama as Nick Nolte battles drug smugglers. A bit too long, with too many annoying characters. But the rocket propelled grenade action was cool. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/23/24 Full Review Audience Member The best............................ Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/13/24 Full Review alan g Whoever said Nivk Nolte could act. Tepid crime drama with the flavor of the month characters, vietnam vets. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 04/02/24 Full Review Audience Member Needed less Michael Moriarty Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Who'll Stop the Rain?

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Cast & Crew

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Karel Reisz

Director

Nick Nolte

Ray Hicks

Tuesday Weld

Marge Converse

Michael Moriarty

John Converse

Anthony Zerbe

Antheil

Richard Masur

Danskin

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Who'll Stop the Rain?

Who'll Stop the Rain? (1978) Who'll Stop the Rain? (1978) Who'll Stop the Rain? (1978) Who'll Stop the Rain? (1978) Who'll Stop the Rain? (1978) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A jaded journalist, John (Michael Moriarty), and a Vietnam vet, Ray (Nick Nolte), are adrift after returning home from the war. With not much to lose, they hatch a scheme to smuggle heroin from Vietnam into the U.S., which stands to make them a fortune. Instead, the pair and John's wife (Tuesday Weld) find themselves on the run from drug dealers and a crooked DEA agent (Anthony Zerbe). Along the way, Ray shows their opponents some of the useful combat skills he picked up in the war.
Director
Karel Reisz
Producer
Herb Jaffe, Gabriel Katzka
Screenwriter
Judith Rascoe, Robert Stone
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
Katzka-Jaffe
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 2, 1978, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Runtime
2h 5m
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