critics consensus

Guided by David Mamet's searing dialogue and assured direction, Homicide tells its morally complex story with an immersive mood and a crackling zeal. Read critic reviews

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Homicide Photos

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Movie Info

After being forcibly reassigned from a federal investigation of notorious drug dealer Robert Randolph (Ving Rhames) to a local case involving robbery and the murder of a Jewish shopkeeper, embittered detective Bobby Gold (Joe Mantegna) unexpectedly experiences a religious awakening. But when his newfound interest in his heritage comes into direct conflict with the law, Gold struggles to reconcile his spiritual loyalties with his dedication to the badge.

Rating:

R
Genre:

crime, drama
Original Language:

English
Director:

David Mamet
Producer:

Michael Hausman, Edward R. Pressman
Writer:

David Mamet
Release Date (Streaming):

Oct 30, 2006
Box Office (Gross USA):

$1.9M
Runtime:

1h 40m
Sound Mix:

Surround, Stereo

Cast & Crew

Joe Mantegna
Bobby Gold

William H. Macy
Tim Sullivan

Natalia Nogulich
Chava

Ving Rhames
Randolph

Rebecca Pidgeon
Miss Klein

Vincent Guastaferro
Lt. Senna

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for Homicide

All Critics (23) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (21) | Rotten (2)

Unfortunately, the transitions are sometimes abrupt and unconvincing, despite Mantegna's intensity.

December 13, 2017 | Full Review…

Billie Cohen
Time Out
David Mamet's "Homicide" is a brilliant muddle: compelling, exhilarating and, at the same time, profoundly dubious.

December 13, 2017 | Full Review…

Hal Hinson
Washington Post
The movie cannot learn from its mistakes; they are forever displayed within it.

December 13, 2017 | Full Review…

Vincent Canby
New York Times
The movie crackles with energy and life, and with throwaway slang dialogue by Mamet, who takes realistic speech patterns and simplifies them into a kind of hammer-and-nail poetry.

December 13, 2017 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…

Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Perhaps it could be argued that Mamet's plays are notable for their realism, certainly Mamet's films are distinguished by their theatricality.

December 13, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Kathleen Maher
Austin Chronicle
The Pulitzer-winning playwright's movies are often a few steps ahead of their audiences, but Homicide seems to have intuitively anticipated its now-exemplary status.

December 13, 2017 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Joseph Jon Lanthier
Slant Magazine
Quote not available.

December 13, 2017 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Mark R. Leeper
rec.arts.movies.reviews
One of Mamet's strangest and most compelling films

December 13, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
In Homicide's electric pop of language, Mamet provides a grand kind of stage for the ugly catalyst of jealousy and racial hatred that curdles in just about every character's mind.

December 13, 2017 | Rating: 9/10 | Full Review…

Chris Barsanti
PopMatters
It's intelligent and the interest in the story carries over into the anticipation of the audience. Only the anti-climatic ending is a little weaker than one would have liked or desired and not up to the challenge as are most endings of Mamet films.

December 13, 2017 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

Greg Muskewitz
eFilmCritic.com
But, there's also little doubt in my mind that "Homicide" is pure Mamet in its uncut form, and that's a pretty great thing.

December 13, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Bob Westal
Bullz-Eye.com
The experience of spending time with the 'Homicide' team is so pleasurable that it's disappointing to be reminded of the stringent requirements of "plot" and "resolution."

December 13, 2017 | Rating: 83/100

Jaime N. Christley
Apollo Guide