The Year of Living Dangerously

PG

Released Jan 21, 1982

1h 55m

Adventure

List

88%

33 Reviews

Tomatometer

77%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When journalist Guy Hamilton (Mel Gibson) arrives in Jakarta, Indonesia, he has difficulty making contacts. He forms a friendship with dwarf photographer Billy Kwan (Linda Hunt), through whom he meets British diplomat Jill Bryant (Sigourney Weaver). Bryant falls for Hamilton, and she gives him key information about an approaching Communist uprising. As the city becomes more dangerous, Hamilton stays to pursue the story. However, he faces more threats as he gets closer to the government.

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Critics Consensus

Both a smart, suspenseful tale of intrigue and a sweeping romance, The Year of Living Dangerously features excellent performances from Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver as a pair of journalists covering political unrest in Indonesia.

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Alec B

The "journalists witnessing atrocities" genre is often fraught with narrative issues. This movie certainly isn't free of those problems but I like how almost intentionally clueless the western reporters are for most of the movie, caring more about the prestige of the "scoop" rather than the genocide occurring before their very eyes.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

Taylor L

As much as I appreciate Linda Hunt as an actress (Silverado was a VHS favorite growing up), it's difficult to see her nuanced performance getting the same recognition these days. An American actress portraying a Chinese-Australian photojournalist in Indonesia just doesn't jive well these days, regardless of how capably it's done. Director Peter Weir has some legitimate masterpieces to his name, but The Year of Living Dangerously isn't one of them. Adapted from a novel of the same name by C. J. Koch, the script covers the instability of Indonesia in 1965 through three people - Mel Gibson's fresh-faced but ambitious Australian journalist Guy, Hunt as altruistic photographer Billy Kwan with local connections, and Sigourney Weaver as Jill, a British diplomatic representative. The narrative aims to present both a romantic melodrama between Guy and Jill where the unpredictable atmosphere makes things hot and heavy, while criticizing the exploitative attitude of Westerners that see the unrest and suffering only as a means of personal gain. It's ambitious, but it probably worked better off as a novel; there's not enough time to explore each of the components in detail, even if the performances are good all around. The romance reinforces the flippant nature of the outsiders, but it's more of a brief footnote to a main political plot that feels pretty blunt and relies on Guy being doggedly self-serving, which really takes away from the audience supporting him getting with Jill or fleeing the country. Well-executed practically, especially when it comes to the frantic depiction of revolutionary Indonesia, but messy in structure. (2.5/5)

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

dominique w

Possibly Peter Weir's best Hollywood film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Excellent... but chilling!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Nobody loves this movie as much as I do, LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

andrew m

A powerful book adaptation featuring stand-out performances from Linda Hunt and Mel Gibson. Atmospheric with some true coups de cinema especially when Hunt films whilst being carried on Gibson's back. And a real sense of external and internal crisis coming together. Strong photography and editing and an excellent score by Jarre. Worth reviewing to see if it stands the test of time, most of this Director's work does.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/23/21

Full Review

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Peter Weir

Director

Mel Gibson

Guy S. Hamilton

Sigourney Weaver

Jillian Edith 'Jill' Bryant

Linda Hunt

Billy Kwan

Michael Murphy

Pete Curtis

Bill Kerr

Col. Ralph Henderson

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Pauline Kael

New Yorker

When the two stars are together, the movie has the hectic, under-the-surface energy that is Weir’s brand of magic.

Sep 19, 2023

Full Review

Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Memorable in Gallipoli and Road Warrior, Mel Gibson establishes his leading-man status.

Nov 12, 2018

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

This is a wonderfully absorbing film.

Rated: 4/4

Jun 19, 2018

Full Review

Molly Haskell

Vogue

[The Year of Living Dangerously] is a romantic and political melodrama set in Indonesia during the Sukarno regime. If it winds up being more romantic than political, who's complaining?

Feb 27, 2020

Full Review

Octavi Marti

El Pais (Spain)

The Year of Living Dangerously is a movie that gets stuck halfway because of a lack of imagination, vitality, and danger. [Full Review in Spanish]

Aug 29, 2019

Full Review

Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

Its flaws are unmistakable and some of its beats a little bit rote, but this is much more daunting and daring than it appears, maybe even more than it realises.

Rated: 8/10

Jan 2, 2016

Full Review

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Synopsis

When journalist Guy Hamilton (Mel Gibson) arrives in Jakarta, Indonesia, he has difficulty making contacts. He forms a friendship with dwarf photographer Billy Kwan (Linda Hunt), through whom he meets British diplomat Jill Bryant (Sigourney Weaver). Bryant falls for Hamilton, and she gives him key information about an approaching Communist uprising. As the city becomes more dangerous, Hamilton stays to pursue the story. However, he faces more threats as he gets closer to the government.

Director: Peter Weir
Screenwriter: C.J. Koch, Peter Weir, David Williamson
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 21, 1982, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 31, 2009
Runtime: 1h 55m

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