Rotten Tomatoes Logo Do you want to see ‘Newsies’?
Newsies

Newsies (1992)

tomatometer

13

Average Rating: 3.7/10
Critic Reviews: 8
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 7

No consensus yet.

audience

87

liked it
Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 48,538

My Rating

Movie Info

A failed effort to revive the big-budget movie musical, Newsies attempted to create toe-tapping, song-and-dance excitement out of the true story of an 1899 strike by newspaper boys against publishing magnate Joseph Pulitzer. The "newsies" band together to protest a pay cut by Pulitzer (Robert Duvall), organizing a union to protect their rights and ensure fair wages. They are helped along the way by Medda (Ann-Margret), a local dance-hall performer who befriends the boys and provides an

PG, 2 hr. 1 min.

Musical & Performing Arts, Kids & Family

Jan 15, 2002

Buena Vista Pictures

Cast

Critic Reviews for Newsies

All Critics (25) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (17) | DVD (8)

The writers have created cardboard cutouts instead of flesh-and-blood characters.

December 11, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It's a bit of a throwback and a solid family film and, at the time, represented a well-intentioned leap of faith of the sort that studios rarely take.

June 10, 2008 Full Review Source: ReelViews | Comment
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
Top Critic IconTop Critic

This film's real trouble lies in its joyless, pointless execution.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment (1)
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Although the material does indeed involve young protagonists, no effort is made to show their lives in a way today's kids can identify with. This movie must seem as odd to them as a foreign film.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comments (2)
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Its intentions seem fairly modest, and so are its achievements. It's a modestly enjoyable diversion.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Hal Hinson
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It looks like its own rehearsal -- an early one at that.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Kids go on strike in gritty, historical musical.

December 15, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Charles Cassady
Common Sense Media

Making his directorial bow, choreographer Kenny Ortega strains valiantly to breathe life into this misguided musical.

March 9, 2009 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

If you have a soft spot for feisty, back-talking bambini with cute squints, backwards caps and names like Crutchy, Dutchy and Bumlets, your heart will melt.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment (1)
Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out Source: Time Out

Overdone, splashy period Disney musical.

May 28, 2005 Comment (1)
Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan Source: Kansas City Kansan

Pretty much "sucksies."

September 18, 2003 Comment
Alex Sandell
Juicy Cerebellum

Looks exactly like what it is, a spectacularly bad idea.

July 26, 2002 Comments (2)
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

If the crick in my neck is any indication, I watched Kenny Ortega's Newsies like a dog hears a new sound. Most probably, my eyebrow was also arched.

March 4, 2002 Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | Comment
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central

People need heroes and uplifting tales, I suppose, but why alter history to give them to the masses?

January 19, 2002 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | Comment
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Newsies

View All

An extremely odd and bizarre musical that still doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Why Christian Bale was in this is beyond me.

May 26, 2010
nelsonpickens
Nelson Pickens

Super Reviewer

really the last good musical before a huge death period for musicals in hollywood. great dancing and fun.

January 26, 2007
sanjurosamurai
danny d

Super Reviewer

Newsies Quotes

View All

No quotes approved yet for Newsies. Logged in users can submit quotes.

DVD

Top Rentals

35% The Hangover Part II
25% Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Par...
81% Kung Fu Panda 2
44% Cowboys & Aliens
83% Rise of the Planet of the Apes
More…

New On DVD This Week

25% Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Par...
88% Lady and the Tramp
69% A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
21% Fireflies in the Garden
45% The Rebound
More…

Movies Like Newsies

Swing Kids
View All

Latest News for Newsies

February 16, 2011:
Newsies Musical Headed for the Stage
From Razzie-winning box office flop to cult classic to Broadway, the story of "Newsies" continues.

April 9, 2008:
Welcome to the RT News Ticker
We're adding off-site links to our news pages, so now you can see movie news headlines from all over...

View All

What's Hot On RT

Critics Consensus
Critics Consensus

Journey 2 Not Worth the Trip

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

Top Movie Quizzes

LEGO Mania: 2011 Best Picture Nominees
by natalie - 18,565 taken
created 12 months ago
How Much Do You Know About Leonardo DiCaprio?
by natalie - 44,433 taken
created 15 months ago
Pixar Movies!
by jdikwlzviv - 27,152 taken
created 15 months ago
The Wizards of Harry Potter
by jdikwlzviv - 27,649 taken
created 15 months ago

Movie News

View All

Featured on RT

Comments

Top Headlines

Fresh Links

Super Bowl Commercial Preview
Super Bowl Commercial Preview External Link
 Tecca profiles eight gametime ads that various companies have released before the big event!
15 Most Romantic Movie Moments
15 Most Romantic Movie Moments External Link
 BuzzSugar runs through a list of their favorite romantic moments to prep you for Valentine's Day.
Best Young Actress?
Best Young Actress? External Link
 Moviefone pores over awards statistics to crown this generation's best young actress!
50 Best Uses of Songs
50 Best Uses of Songs External Link
 Time Out NY brings us an awesome list of the 50 best uses of preexisting music in movie scenes!
Top 10 Freezing Cold Movies
Top 10 Freezing Cold Movies External Link
 With The Grey in theaters, TIME offers up 10 outstandingly chilly films!
Follow RT on Twitter!
Follow RT on Twitter! External Link
 Daily Tomatometer updates, interesting movie links, and vulgar jokes!
Help | About | Jobs | Newsletter | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Blog | Developers | Mobile
Copyright © Flixster, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy