Winter Kills

Play trailer

Winter Kills

R

1979

1h 37m

Comedy

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

25 Reviews

52%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Inspired by the conspiracy theories surrounding John F. Kennedy's assassination, this comic thriller follows Nick Kegan (Jeff Bridges), the younger brother of a U.S. president killed 19 years earlier. After finding a man claiming to be his brother's second assassin, Nick begins an intricate investigation into the secrets behind the murder. But Nick runs into trouble when his controlling father (John Huston) tries to keep him from uncovering the truth.

Critics Consensus

A singularly strange roman à clef rich with paranoia and black humor, Winter Kills views the political skullduggery of the late 20th century with a sharp, jaundiced eye.

Read Critics Reviews

Richard Brody

The New Yorker

“Winter Kills” is, above all, an exercise in tone—a crazed, hectic tone that instantly suggests a world irreparably out of whack. What lends the movie substance is the cinematic style that Richert crafts from its dramatic premise.

Aug 12, 2023

Full Review

Peter Sobczynski

RogerEbert.com

It seems to have grown even bolder with age in its willingness to take on sacred cows in the craziest manner imaginable.

Rated: 4/4

Aug 11, 2023

Full Review

Brad Hanford

Slant Magazine

The history of Winter Kills is nearly as lurid and tangled as the conspiracy it depicts.

Aug 8, 2023

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...an often astonishingly misguided bomb that just doesn’t work in the slightest.

Rated: 1/4

Sep 19, 2025

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…most of the plot elements of Winter Kills have matured over the years, making it something of a hidden gem for anyone with a passing interest in American politics…

Rated: 3/5

Jan 23, 2024

Full Review

Ray Pride

Newcity

Richert’s deliciously berserk [movie] almost never saw the light of day before its patchy completion and release in 1979; it’s pungent satire, a Kennedy-conspiracy thriller... that must, as has been said, be seen to be disbelieved,

Rated: 10/10

Oct 16, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Chris r

Great movie once u understand it’s a comedy lol, but it’s has a good balance of drama moments too. I really liked it. And so many damn movie starts just pop out of nowhere. It’s a treat.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/08/25

Full Review

CodyZamboni Z

Movie starts off crazy, and gets sillier and sillier, and more convoluted, with wackier and wackier characters and situations, It plays like an unintended spoof of conspiracy movies, Top acting talent embarrass themselves, including huge cameos by Elizabeth Taylor and Toshiro Mifune, who both do absolutely nothing,

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

11/23/24

Full Review

Alec B

Even if the final product feels unfinished (which given the troubled production, is understandable) I can appreciate the way the movie both indulges in conspiracy theory tropes and then cheekily undermines them.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/09/24

Full Review

Steve D

Weird tone, lame story.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/15/23

Full Review

georgan g

Thought this might have *some* merit, despite the horrible ratings. I was wrong. Other than some good acting, the plot is goofy.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Ken R

As soon as you see a cast of big names in a movie that runs under 100mins you can safely say you may be about to be conned. Most of the big names have roles lasting for minutes, then, seen no more! The movies original producers were drug dealers, two were murdered and another jailed for 40yrs. By the end of the film (if you last that long) the so-called ‘satirical' plot leaves you feeling like you've been on a very bad ‘trip'. With a script about as feasible and palatable as Rice Bubbles served with Bilge water it wags doggedly on its weary trail, feeling more and more like a never-ending trial. HUGE money was lost on this sleazy dud and while it looked classy it kept falling over itself, fooling some audiences (but very, very few!) Do yourself a favour and maybe watch The Parallax View instead.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/22/20

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

William Richert

Director

Jeff Bridges

Nick Kegan

John Huston

Pa Kegan

Anthony Perkins

John Cerruti

Sterling Hayden

Z.K. Dawson

Eli Wallach

Joe Diamond

Hardcore

80%

67%

Hardcore

Watchlist

Whose Life Is It Anyway?

70%

79%

Whose Life Is It Anyway?

Watchlist

Brubaker

74%

74%

Brubaker

Watchlist

Fingers

85%

68%

Fingers

Watchlist

The Seduction of Joe Tynan

75%

39%

The Seduction of Joe Tynan

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Inspired by the conspiracy theories surrounding John F. Kennedy's assassination, this comic thriller follows Nick Kegan (Jeff Bridges), the younger brother of a U.S. president killed 19 years earlier. After finding a man claiming to be his brother's second assassin, Nick begins an intricate investigation into the secrets behind the murder. But Nick runs into trouble when his controlling father (John Huston) tries to keep him from uncovering the truth.

Director: William Richert
Producer: Daniel H. Blatt, Fred C. Caruso
Screenwriter: Richard Condon, William Richert
Distributor: AVCO Embassy Pictures
Production Co: Winter Gold Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 11, 1979, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 11, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $75.6K
Runtime: 1h 37m

Most Popular at Home Now