Brewster McCloud

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Brewster McCloud

R,

1970,

1h 45m,

Comedy

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Watchlist

Watchlist

87%

23 Reviews

Tomatometer

82%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

23 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Brewster McCloud isn't your normal sort of boy. He resides in a nuclear fallout shelter in the Houston Astrodome. He labors to make a set of wings that he hopes will allow him to fly, and is supported in his oddball mission by the maternal Louise. But when the boy's enemies start dying off -- including a national anthem singer and Brewster's penny-pinching boss -- he becomes the object of an investigation by Police Det. Lt. Frank Shaft.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Jun 9, 2008

A sardonic fairy tale for the times, extremely well cast and directed.

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Time Out

Feb 9, 2006

Altman's unexpected follow-up to MASH is pitched fairly successfully between escapist fantasy and satirical comment on the same.

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

May 9, 2005

1.5/5

It's imitation hip.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Oct 11, 2025

... this offbeat comedy is masterfully conducted. Colorful and creative, it brims with eccentric performances and whimsical details, while Altman’s inventive editing and intercutting keeps it moving at a lively clip.

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Jason Shawhan

Nashville Scene

Sep 10, 2021

This fable is beautiful and heartbreaking and has a recurrent motif where birds kill racists by shitting on them.

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Patrick McDonald

WBGR-FM (93.7 FM - Monroe, WI)

Jun 4, 2020

5/5

There is a plot in BREWSTER McCLOUD, but it mainly showcases the surreal nature of Altman's cinema. It's a must see for lovers of weirdness, expression and redemptive grace.

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Jan 27, 2019

The best comedy movie ever made!

George W

Jun 7, 2018

Brewster McCloud is a fantastic film. It is about introverted loner living in the bowels of the Astrodome plots to develop a pair of wings that will help him fly. Bud Cort and Shelly Duvall give amazing performances. The script is good but a little slow in places. Robert Altman did a great job directing this movie. i enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the humor and fantasy. Brewster McCloud is a must see.

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Harry R

Jun 3, 2018

Bizarre. I did laugh out loud a couple times, but ultimately this was so disjointed and confusing it became too artistic to be good. I guess this is where "Where's Waldo?" came from?

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Hagrid R

Jun 14, 2017

Highly entertaining and unique movie about a guy who sets out to fly like a bird. The guy is also a major ladies man which I really enjoyed. There is also a lot of death by bird crap. But only people who deserve it. One of Altman's best films.

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Ron P

Dec 8, 2016

"Brewster McCloud" is easily Robert Altman's most obscure film, so if you're looking for a strictly coherent comedy, you won't find it here.

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Luke R

Jun 19, 2010

One of Robert Altman's most charming exercises in cabaret humor and off-the-cuff modernism.

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Robert Altman

Director

Bud Cort

Brewster McCloud

Sally Kellerman

Louise

Michael Murphy

Det. Lt. Frank Shaft

William Windom

Weeks

Shelley Duvall

Suzanne Davis

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Synopsis

Brewster McCloud isn't your normal sort of boy. He resides in a nuclear fallout shelter in the Houston Astrodome. He labors to make a set of wings that he hopes will allow him to fly, and is supported in his oddball mission by the maternal Louise. But when the boy's enemies start dying off -- including a national anthem singer and Brewster's penny-pinching boss -- he becomes the object of an investigation by Police Det. Lt. Frank Shaft.

Director: Robert Altman
Producer: Lou Adler
Screenwriter: Doran William
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Lions Gate Films
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 23, 1970, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 5, 2015
Runtime: 1h 45m

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