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Freeheld

Play trailer 1:19 Poster for Freeheld PG-13 2015 1h 43m Drama Romance Biography LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
50% Tomatometer 135 Reviews 54% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Diagnosed with terminal cancer, decorated New Jersey detective Laurel Hester wishes to leave her pension benefits to domestic partner Stacie Andree. Denied by local county officials, Laurel receives help from hard-nosed colleague Dane Wells and activist Steven Goldstein, who unite to rally fellow police officers and ordinary citizens to support the couple's fight for equality.
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Freeheld

Freeheld

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Critics Consensus

Freeheld certainly means well, but its cardboard characters and by-the-numbers drama undermine its noble intentions.

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Critics Reviews

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Riese Bernard Autostraddle Aug 17, 2021
If you're interested in watching a really solid film with a lesbian couple smack dab at the center of a small story with national implications, I cannot recommend a better place to do so than in a movie theater screening Freeheld. Go to Full Review
Grace Manger Bitch Media Feb 9, 2021
It really is just a tiny sliver, a few years of two people's lives that ended up setting a precedent for their small town. Those stories need to be told, too. Go to Full Review
Tara Brady Irish Times Feb 23, 2016
3/5
Flat, and lacking the archly deadened attributes of Todd Haynes' Carol, a quartet of World's Greatest Actors work hard to animate a timid movie. Go to Full Review
Curve Staff Curve May 20, 2022
Moore and Page deliver powerful, heartfelt performances in this stirring tribute to an ordinary couple whose love and integrity compelled them to demand equal rights in an extraordinary act of courage. Go to Full Review
Richard Crouse Richard Crouse Mar 4, 2021
3.5/5
A crowd pleaser that dramatizes and humanizes a landmark case in the ongoing battle for gay rights. Go to Full Review
Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com Oct 13, 2020
2.5/5
Curiously, more believable exchanges transpire between Julianne Moore and Michael Shannon, while Ron Nyswaner's screenplay fails to provide sustenance for Laurel Hester's relationship with Stacie Andree. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Eye C @ECinc Aug 10, 2026 Uff… what a story… and the performances were AMAZING… Everything here were excellent. Making feelings up and down all over the place. Julianne Moore spectacular. See more
Alain E @AlainE Apr 30, 2026 The movie comes around when Laurel is diagnosed. The opening sequences just identify the elements in play. No opening credits are shown. Possibly to avoid the Ellen/Elliott issue. Then when the tragedy unfolds, the movie takes off. Julianne Moore delivers an impressive performance as the dying county detective. Very good is also Michael Shannon and Steve Carrell. I have some issues with Ellen Page’s performance. See more
Jun 15, 2021 It's a nice film that's based on a true story! See more
Apr 23, 2021 I really enoy this movie, it represents very well the fight of LGBT community for political and social recognition and the way we still have a lot to fight for basic rights, like the one in the movie, the pension benefit to Laurel's girlfriend because of the terminal cancer that Laurel discover after they star to buil a life together, buy a house, etc. It's a beautiful story about love and the fight for equality, that shows how discrimation can affect people's lifes, i recommend it a lot. See more
steve d @RT35616104 Jul 14, 2020 The script wasn't great but the story is really powerful and the moments of humor appreciated. See more
Mar 22, 2020 This is an excellent movie with a solid cast loved Steve Carell's performance as a flamboyant gay Jew activist he brought a little humor to a reality sad story. See more
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Freeheld

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Cast & Crew

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Peter Sollett

Director

Julianne Moore

Laurel Hester

Elliot Page

Stacie Andree

Michael Shannon

Dane Wells

Josh Charles

Bryan Kelder

Luke Grimes

Todd Belkin

Movie Clips

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Freeheld

Freeheld: You Have the Power Freeheld: You Have the Power 2:42 Now Playing Freeheld: Political Theater Freeheld: Political Theater 2:46 Now Playing Freeheld: It Offends Traditional Values Freeheld: It Offends Traditional Values 2:00 Now Playing Freeheld: An Opportunity to Change the World Freeheld: An Opportunity to Change the World 2:47 Now Playing Freeheld: Trying to Buy a Little Time Freeheld: Trying to Buy a Little Time 2:14 Now Playing Freeheld: Tire Rotation Competition Freeheld: Tire Rotation Competition 1:58 Now Playing Freeheld: Happy Domestic Partnership Day Freeheld: Happy Domestic Partnership Day 1:38 Now Playing Freeheld: I Thought I'd Never Survive It Freeheld: I Thought I'd Never Survive It 3:01 Now Playing Freeheld: Not My Roommate Freeheld: Not My Roommate 2:33 Now Playing Freeheld: You Should Come Home With Me Freeheld: You Should Come Home With Me 2:58 Now Playing View more videos

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Freeheld

Freeheld: Trailer 2 Freeheld: Trailer 2 1:19 Now Playing Freeheld: Trailer 1 Freeheld: Trailer 1 2:25 Now Playing View more videos
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Freeheld

Freeheld (2015) Freeheld (2015) Freeheld (2015) Steve Carell as Steven Goldstein in "Freeheld." (L-R) Ellen Page as Stacie Andree and Julianne Moore as Laurel Hester in "Freeheld." Michael Shannon as Dane Wells in "Freeheld." Josh Charles as Bryan Kelder in "Freeheld." (L-R) Julianne Moore as Laurel Hester and Ellen Page as Stacie Andree in "Freeheld." (L-R) Julianne Moore as Laurel Hester and Ellen Page as Stacie Andree in "Freeheld." (L-R) Ellen Page as Stacie Andree and Julianne Moore as Laurel Hester in "Freeheld." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Diagnosed with terminal cancer, decorated New Jersey detective Laurel Hester wishes to leave her pension benefits to domestic partner Stacie Andree. Denied by local county officials, Laurel receives help from hard-nosed colleague Dane Wells and activist Steven Goldstein, who unite to rally fellow police officers and ordinary citizens to support the couple's fight for equality.
Director
Peter Sollett
Producer
Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Cynthia Wade, Jack Selby, Duncan Montgomery, James D. Stern, Julie Goldstein, Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Kelly Bush, Elliot Page
Screenwriter
Ron Nyswaner
Distributor
Lionsgate Films
Production Co
Filmadora Nacional, Double Feature Films, Filmax, Endgame Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Sexuality|Language|Some Thematic Elements)
Genre
Drama, Romance, Biography, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 2, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$533.0K
Runtime
1h 43m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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