Colors

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Colors

R

1988

2h 0m

Crime

Drama

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

41 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

In this gritty police drama from director Dennis Hopper, street-wise cop Bob Hodges (Robert Duvall) and hotheaded rookie Danny McGavin (Sean Penn) grapple with their new partnership on the gang-ridden streets of Los Angeles. Although Danny finally lets Hodges show him the ropes, his adrenaline-fed brutality earns him a reputation with the very gangs they want to help. With a gang war ready to explode, Danny confronts his own racism even as he falls in love with Louisa (Maria Conchita Alonso).

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Critics Consensus

Colors takes a hard-hitting yet nuanced look at urban gang violence, further elevated by strong performances from a pair of well-matched leads.

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Joe Pollack

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Aug 16, 2021

I expected more from Hopper as a director, at least something different from the tried-and-true formula pictures.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Mar 26, 2009

Colors is a solidly crafted depiction of some current big-city horrors and succeeds largely because of the Robert Duvall-Sean Penn teaming as frontline cops. They're terrific together as members of the gang crime division of the LAPD.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Jun 24, 2006

Never as eccentric as The Last Movie or Out of the Blue, Colors nevertheless makes most other cop movies look formulary by comparison.

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Jack E. Wilkinson

United Press International

Jun 12, 2026

Although there is little new about a familiar problem, it's still a solid police drama.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 2, 2025

2/4

Penn and Duvall are two of our greatest actors, but here they’re posturing rather than performing, aware that they’re in an Important Film.

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Sean Burns

WBUR’s Arts & Culture

Aug 20, 2023

It’s easy to forget what an electrifying actor Penn used to be, especially opposite a revered mentor like Duvall.

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Robert P

@Superbad Oct 6, 2026

Colors is a 3.5 star Movie!

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Michael A

@Kinich61 Jul 21, 2026

I grew up in the areas depicted and there is no reason to get defensive. Great screenplay, directing, and acting!

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Michael B

@RT01922879 Jul 1, 2026

Classic 80’s cop film. Great story.

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Matthew H

@Hendy2013 Mar 11, 2026

Another classic of the legend that is Robert Duvall

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Damon G

@Dmoney420 Feb 22, 2026

Rip hodges super good hood classic

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Mark T

@Tvjunkee Dec 28, 2025

A sound 80s action movie with already great actors and new talents all working to recreate a tense time in the streets of crack epidemic hit L.A. and perfect direction from the legendary Dennis Hopper, the man who knew the dark side of the city of angels and the time!! T

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Dennis Hopper

Director

Sean Penn

Officer Danny McGavin

Robert Duvall

Officer Bob Hodges

Maria Conchita Alonso

Louisa Gomez

Randy Brooks

Ron Delaney

Grand Bush

Larry Sylvester

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Synopsis

In this gritty police drama from director Dennis Hopper, street-wise cop Bob Hodges (Robert Duvall) and hotheaded rookie Danny McGavin (Sean Penn) grapple with their new partnership on the gang-ridden streets of Los Angeles. Although Danny finally lets Hodges show him the ropes, his adrenaline-fed brutality earns him a reputation with the very gangs they want to help. With a gang war ready to explode, Danny confronts his own racism even as he falls in love with Louisa (Maria Conchita Alonso).

Director: Dennis Hopper
Producer: Robert H. Solo
Screenwriter: Michael Schiffer
Production Co: Orion Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $46.1M
Runtime: 2h 0m
Sound Mix: Surround

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