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No Way Out (1987)

tomatometer

96

Average Rating: 7.1/10
Reviews Counted: 28
Fresh: 27 | Rotten: 1

Roger Donaldson's modern spin on the dense, stylish suspense films of the 1940s features fine work from Gene Hackman and Sean Young, as well as the career-making performance that made Kevin Costner a star.

86

Average Rating: 8/10
Critic Reviews: 7
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 1

Roger Donaldson's modern spin on the dense, stylish suspense films of the 1940s features fine work from Gene Hackman and Sean Young, as well as the career-making performance that made Kevin Costner a star.

audience

66

liked it
Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 19,082

My Rating

Movie Info

No Way Out is told in flashback as Naval officer Tom Farrell (Kevin Costner) is grilled by his superiors regarding a recent "unpleasantness." While at a Washington party, Tom meets Susan Atwel (Sean Young), and they're soon sharing a steamy love scene in the back of a limo (marvelously parodied in 1993's Hot Shots! Part Deux). Several months pass before Tom meets Susan again; he discovers she's the mistress of the US Secretary of Defense David Brice (Gene Hackman). When Susan is murdered by

Jun 19, 2001

HBO Video

Cast

All Critics (28) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (28) | Rotten (2) | DVD (10)

Viewers who arrive at the movie five minutes late and leave five minutes early will avoid the setup and payoff for the preposterous twist that spoils this lively, intelligent remake of 1948's The Big Clock.

May 23, 2011 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | Comments (2)
TIME Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

No Way Out is an effective updating and revamping of the 1948 film noir classic The Big Clock.

March 30, 2009 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
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It's the kind of intricately plotted suspense film with juicy secondary parts (Will Patton, George Dzundza, Iman, Howard Duff) that used to be churned out in the 1940s.

March 30, 2009 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Chicago Reader
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It's so effective, in fact, that when it's all over, you might want to sit through the beginning again just to see if the end is justified by the means. I suspect that it is.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
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The film makes such good use of Washington and builds suspense so well that it transcends a plot bordering on ridiculous.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
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A superior example of the genre, a film in which a simple situation grows more and more complex until it turns into a nightmare not only for the hero but also for everyone associated with him.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comment
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Kevin Costner displays some charisma, for once, in a twisty, stylish espionage thriller.

March 30, 2009 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

A cleverly plotted thriller with impeccable performances. Costner is spot on as the man who finds it hard to play by others' rules, even if it may cost him his head.

March 30, 2009 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

...primarily comes off as a fast-moving and increasingly compelling thriller...

March 19, 2008 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | Comment
Reel Film Reviews

A very convincing nightmare, and if Hackman gives too rounded a performance to approach the omniscient evil of Laughton's original, Patton assumes the mantle as Brice's henchman, while Costner confirms his arrival as a star.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

Smart and steamy Beltway thriller.

January 12, 2006 Comment
Capital Times (Madison, WI)

A taut political thriller.

November 13, 2004 Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | Comment
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

Filme tenso, com bom ritmo e boas atuações. A revelação final não faz muita diferença no contexto geral - ao contrário, abre margem para alguns buracos no roteiro.

July 25, 2003 Comment
Cinema em Cena

A stylish political thriller animated by its incisive portrait of secrecy, lying and power in Washington, D.C.

July 19, 2003 Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | Comment
Spirituality and Practice
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for No Way Out

Costner vehicle saved from total mediocrity by, yet again, Gene Hackman (he should've belonged to International Rescue the number of dreary Hollywood thrillers he's salvaged...) Decent twist at the end, too.

December 27, 2006
garyX
xGary Xx

Super Reviewer

Tense and racy thriller in Pentagon. Sean Young's hotter in naked when she asked her close friend to borrow her apartment for a night.

November 19, 2006
deano
Dean McKenna

Super Reviewer

    1. David Brice Secretary of Defense: Strange ending, big time. Gene Hackman doesn't get charged or caught for his actions, weird to say the least.
    – Submitted by Pat M (24 days ago)

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