Zipper

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2:16

Zipper

R

2015

1h 52m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

20%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

29%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Sam Ellis (Patrick Wilson) is a federal prosecutor with a future in politics and a wife who dreams of being first lady. After an encounter with an escort, Sam begins to spiral out of control and into an addiction that threatens to unravel his world.

Critics Consensus

Patrick Wilson tries his best to elevate tawdry material, but Zipper is a morality tale that makes its points so clumsily that they inspire more unintentional laughter than thought.

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Tim Grierson

Paste Magazine

As it stumbles to the finish line, "Zipper" means to be a condemnation of our political system, but the impact is negligible. The fate of a dull enigma doesn't have much weight.

Sep 1, 2015

Full Review

Christy Lemire

RogerEbert.com

The film as a whole feels sort of retro as a tawdry cautionary tale.

Rated: 2/4

Aug 28, 2015

Full Review

Richard Roeper

Chicago Sun-Times

Lurid and cheesy and sometimes unintentionally funny.

Rated: 1.5/4

Aug 27, 2015

Full Review

Mae Abdulbaki

Movies with Mae

It's well-acted, dramatic, has several thematic elements that are solid, even if it doesn't always peel back the curtains to reveal the reasons why or make use of the consequences of the protagonist's choices.

Rated: 3/5

May 2, 2019

Full Review

Dan Mecca

The Film Stage

[It] plays like one of those sections in certain House of Cards episodes that feel cheap and easy and trashy. For a minute or two it's fun, before it quickly becomes laborious and grating.

Rated: D

Feb 24, 2016

Full Review

John Noonan

FILMINK (Australia)

None to subtle in its approach, Zipper works only when it wants to.

Jan 1, 2016

Full Review

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Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 52 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Nudity, Language, Brief Drug Use and Strong Sexual Content!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/20/25

Full Review

Ted B

A vague, masturbatory morality tale that somehow manages to say very little even with the talent on offer.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/25/23

Full Review

steve d

There is just nothing interesting about it. Wilson tries his best but can't do anything with this script.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Zipper features a great cast and Patrick Wilson is great but the screen play is a mess. The movie has an interesting story and it leads up to some thrills that never pay off. Think of it as a thriller with set up but nothing beyond that. It could’ve been a good movie but the sloppy screenwriting and dialogue make this more feel like an extended TV pilot.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/02/18

Full Review

Audience Member

Zipper features a great cast and Patrick Wilson is great but the screen play is a mess. The movie has an interesting story and it leads up to some thrills that never pay off. Think of it as a thriller with set up but nothing beyond that. It could’ve been a good movie but the sloppy screenwriting and dialogue make this more feel like an extended TV pilot.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/02/18

Full Review

Audience Member

Probably a very common, hidden issue in real life politics, which is why it was interesting to me. The main character grew more and more unlikable for me as the movie went on, which made me hope for a different ending than what they gave. But oh well. My two stars is mostly due to the ending.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

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Mora Stephens

Director

Patrick Wilson

Sam Ellis

Lena Headey

Jeannie Ellis

Richard Dreyfuss

George Hiller

Ray Winstone

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John Cho

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Zipper: Trailer 1

2:16

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Synopsis

Sam Ellis (Patrick Wilson) is a federal prosecutor with a future in politics and a wife who dreams of being first lady. After an encounter with an escort, Sam begins to spiral out of control and into an addiction that threatens to unravel his world.

Director: Mora Stephens
Producer: Marina Grasic, Mark Heyman, Amy Mitchell-Smith, Joel Viertel, R. Bryan Wright
Screenwriter: Mora Stephens, Joel Viertel
Distributor: Alchemy
Production Co: Protozoa Pictures, Intercut Capital
Rating: R (Language|Brief Drug Use|Nudity|Strong Sexual Content)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 28, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 27, 2016
Runtime: 1h 52m

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