Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993)
Average Rating: 5.9/10
Reviews Counted: 20
Fresh: 12 | Rotten: 8
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 5.2/10
Critic Reviews: 8
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 4
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 1,321
My Rating
Movie Info
Richard Harris and Robert Duvall star in this low-key drama concerning a hard-drinking former sea captain (Richard Harris) who befriends a shy retired barber (Robert Duvall). Though their polar-opposite personalities find the relationship slow going at first, roguish Frank (Harris) and gentle Walter (Duvall) soon develop a close friendship as they pass the days with conversation. As death looms near and their pasts seem to evaporate into the air with the passing of each day, the lonely souls
Jun 1, 1994 Wide
Jul 27, 1994
Warner Home Video
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Robert Duvall
Walt -
Richard Harris
Frank -
Shirley MacLaine
Helen -
Sandra Bullock
Elaine -
Micole Mercurio
Bernice -
Marty Belafsky
Ned Ryan -
Piper Laurie
Georgia -
Ed Amatrudo
Henry's Dad -
Ilse Earl
Cinema Cashier -
William Marquez
Carl Burney -
Jodie Wilson
Nurse -
Harold Bergman
Sleeper -
Chick Bernhardt
1st Stunt Driver -
Richard Jasen
3rd Baseman -
-
Doris Carey Ferguson
Mom in Park -
Ron Russell
2nd Stunt Driver
ADVERTISEMENT
All Critics (21) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (8) | DVD (2)
Wrestling Ernest Hemingway aspires to be serious about its subject. Yet in a curious way this sobriety works against it. Frank and Walt turn into schematically contrasting case studies, and the movie's sympathy for them eventually becomes patronizing.
Randa Haines' sappy, rather dull melodrama about the friendship between two eccentric old men is mostly a showcase for its stars, Robert Duvall and Richard Harris.
There aren't really any surprises, but it's a delight to see a movie which idles away without anything more pressing on its mind than people.
Top CriticInstead of simply assuming that the old have interesting lives, the film never stops congratulating itself for being daring enough to focus on them.
The movie is essentially about the close observation of behavior. Like some of Hemingway's stories, the real action is all implied. The characters trade small talk, and we sense that larger issues are lurking beneath their cheerfulness.
An endearing buddy movie for the senior crowd.
Offers little in the way of narrative drive or plot conflict, and what does happen is far from surprising. MacLaine and Piper Laurie are more or less wasted in supporting roles, and pretty Sandra Bullock is given almost nothing to do.
This is a film of two superlative performances from Richard Harris and Robert Duvall, who play an odd couple drawn together by their common loneliness as they become friends in the winter of their lives
A deeply moving and wonderfully acted film about loneliness and friendship. This is one to treasure.
A slow-paced and sentimental film, but still a pleasure to watch as the two brilliant and dignified leads play off each other so well.
Funny, touching, understated. Melancholy, bittersweet, lovely.
Duvall and Harris are as touching, as they are mezmerising.
Portrays the salutary ways in which two very dissimiliar elders enrich each other's lives.
Audience Reviews for Wrestling Ernest Hemingway
Absolutely 1 of those movies thats so easy 2 watch. Takes you on a ride with 2 virtually opposite characters at the peak of their lives.
Looks like a movie for the older generation from the cover & write up on dvd case but its far from it,Definately under-rated movie that did not have much publicity but then again Neither does a lot of our favourite films we find from websites like RT.
Discussion Forum
There are no discussion threads for Wrestling Ernest Hemingway yet.
What's Hot On RT
Bradley Cooper's Best Movies
Fast & Furious 6 is Certified Fresh
Fast & Furious cars gallery
Blockbusters ranked!
Featured on RT
- Weekly Ketchup: Fox and Marvel Both Courting Quicksilver for Comic Blockbusters 10
- Critics Consensus: Fast & Furious 6 is Certified Fresh 58
- Red Carpet Photos with Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Gina Carano and More 0
- Video: The Hangover Part III Cast Interviews 0
- Total Recall: Bradley Cooper's Best Movies 48
- Parental Guidance: Epic and Beautiful Creatures 2
- Comic Book Movies You Can Watch Online 13
Top Headlines
-
Evan Peters Joins X-Men: Days of Future Past
0
-
Toby Jones Talks Captain America: The Winter Soldier
1
-
The Poltergeist Reboot May Actually Be a Sequel
16
-
Will Forte Promises MacGruber 2
2
-
Universal Plans Timecop Reboot
2
-
Return of the Jedi Turns 30
1
-
Vin Diesel Says Fast & Furious 7 Will Take Place in L.A.
0
Fresh Links
Featured
Star Trek Movies Ranked
HitFix offers their own take on the worst-to-best of the Enterprise crew's cinematic adventures.
Top 10 Star Trek Villains
Rolling Stone unveils the Enterprise's most irksome adversaries.
Celebrity Yearkbook Flashback
We'll bet you never realized how many stars were cheerleaders and high school athletes!
50 Most Classic Movie Moms
In celebration of Mother's Day, TimeOut offers up 50 iconic matriarchs from the big screen.
Weirdest Movie Siblings
From Twins to The Royal Tenenbaums, Moviefone explores cinema's oddest siblings.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
Robert Duvall, Richard Harris, Shirley MacLain, Sandra Bullock. . . . this movie is just too good to be true - top notch story, acting, and soundtrack, and you'll never forget these performances.