Rotten Tomatoes Logo Do you want to see ‘Dead Man’?

Dead Man (1995)

tomatometer

71

Average Rating: 7/10
Reviews Counted: 35
Fresh: 25 | Rotten: 10

No consensus yet.

33

Average Rating: 5.8/10
Critic Reviews: 6
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 4

No consensus yet.

audience

86

liked it
Average Rating: 3.9/5
User Ratings: 51,939

My Rating

Movie Info

A dark, bitter commentary on modern American life cloaked in the form of a surrealist western, Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man stars Johnny Depp as William Blake, a newly-orphaned accountant who leaves his home in Cleveland to accept a job in the frontier town of Machine. Upon his arrival, Blake is told by the factory owner Dickinson (Robert Mitchum) that the job has already been filled. Dejectedly, he enters a nearby tavern, ultimately spending the night with a former prostitute. A violent altercation

R, 2 hr. 1 min.

Western, Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Jim Jarmusch

Jul 3, 2001

Miramax

Cast

All Critics (53) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (26) | Rotten (10) | DVD (8)

It seems to be Blake's name as much as anything that propels the character deep into a strange frontier where Blakean ideals of innocence and integrity have been obliterated by ignorance and cruelty.

January 9, 2012 Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | Comment
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

An intensely intelligent look at American history and a blueprint for how to (un)make it, from one of our country's finest directors.

August 12, 2011 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | Comment
Slant Magazine

a low-key classic of strangely poetic beauty - a western for sleepwalkers and dreamers.

January 5, 2009 Full Review Source: Eye for Film | Comment
Eye for Film

I was held by Depp's transformation from white-man non-entity to the Jarmusch version of the affectless Man With No Name.

December 30, 2006 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comment
eFilmCritic.com

Jarmusch's lyrical update on the western genre is a real joy.

October 27, 2006 Comment
ColeSmithey.com

Quite exquisite. Beautiful, really.

September 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | Comment
Apollo Guide

Characteristically meandering and sardonic, with Robby Muller's floating, shimmering camerawork, a catalog of witty cameos, and one of the most beautiful modern film-scores

August 7, 2006 Full Review Source: Not Coming to a Theater Near You | Comment
Not Coming to a Theater Near You

Minimalism defines this revisionist and challenging noir- Western, a welcome artistic departure from Jarmusch's increasingly tired and tiresome Downtown New York sensibility.

June 19, 2006 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | Comment

Bad, but not uninteresting

August 29, 2005 Comment
Flipside Movie Emporium

Depp and Jarmusch combine for something fairly bizarre, yet quietly rewarding.

April 3, 2005 Comment
eFilmCritic.com

Jim Jarmusch's most stunning achievement.

May 25, 2004 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | Comment
Slant Magazine
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Dead Man

Most of the disparagement that has been heaped on Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man is unjust and undeserved. What an under-appreciated gem of a film.

January 7, 2009
flixsterman
Randy Tippy

Super Reviewer

Jarmusch's take on the western with a perfect performance from Johnny Depp.

October 27, 2011
Graham Jones

Super Reviewer

    1. John Dickinson: The only job you're likely to have is pushin' up daises.
    – Submitted by timothy r (5 months ago)
    1. Nobody: Stupid fucking white man.
    – Submitted by timothy r (5 months ago)

Movies Like Dead Man

Latest News for Dead Man

What's Hot On RT

Luis Guzman
Luis Guzman

What are his 10 best movies ever?

<em>Amazing Spider-Man</em>
Amazing Spider-Man

See the all-new action-packed trailer!

The Avengers!
The Avengers!

Five new Marvelous pictures

Total Recall
Total Recall

Unconventional Superheroes

Top Movie Quizzes

LEGO Mania: 2011 Best Picture Nominees
by natalie - 18,542 taken
created 12 months ago
How Much Do You Know About Leonardo DiCaprio?
by natalie - 44,380 taken
created 15 months ago
Pixar Movies!
by jdikwlzviv - 27,124 taken
created 15 months ago
The Wizards of Harry Potter
by jdikwlzviv - 27,626 taken
created 15 months ago
Help | About | Jobs | Newsletter | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Blog | Developers | Mobile