The Falcon and the Snowman

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The Falcon and the Snowman

R,

1985,

2h 11m,

Mystery & Thriller

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Watchlist

Watchlist

83%

23 Reviews

Tomatometer

69%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

23 Reviews

69%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

After his father (Pat Hingle) finds him a job at the CIA, Christopher Boyce (Timothy Hutton) discovers the less reputable side of the American government through handling classified documents. As he grows increasingly disillusioned, Boyce decides to sell the information to the Russians in an act of defiance. A drug-addicted friend of Boyce's, Daulton Lee (Sean Penn), becomes involved in the plot and acts as a middleman between Boyce and the Soviets, but the erratic Lee fails to cover his tracks.

Critics Consensus

Stranger than fiction and improbably entertaining, The Falcon and the Snowman shows how easily idealism can be twisted into treason.

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

Jan 4, 2018

Thank heavens these spies come in from the cold -- it's frozen their brains.

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Chris Peachment

Time Out

Jan 26, 2006

Hutton succumbs firstly to a thin role, and secondly to the film's lack of any strong viewpoint about its leading men. As usual Schlesinger is more than half in love with what he might be satirising.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Oct 23, 2004

4/4

It is not a thriller in any routine sense of the word. It's just the meticulously observant record of how naivet, inexperience, misplaced idealism and greed led to one of the most peculiar cases of treason in American history.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jan 29, 2024

4/5

... brilliantly shows how the protagonists’ equally idealistic, yet differing sense of self can lead them to be heroes and villains in the same instance...

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Andy Adams

Japan Times

Feb 10, 2023

The Falcon and the Snowman is a tense, fast-paced film with fine performances by Hutton and Penn.

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

Sep 23, 2020

3.5/5

Not exactly a fun watch, but a fascinating one for sure.

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Kylo M

Jun 8, 2017

A subtle study of moral (or the lack of) actions of two young men in the turmoil of 80's US. The performances is excellent.

Hagrid M

Apr 26, 2017

Thrilling as hell, Sean Penn in what was definitely his first matured performance/role.

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John Schlesinger

Director

Timothy Hutton

Christopher Boyce

Sean Penn

Daulton Lee

David Suchet

Alex

Lori Singer

Lana

Pat Hingle

Mr. Boyce

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Synopsis

After his father (Pat Hingle) finds him a job at the CIA, Christopher Boyce (Timothy Hutton) discovers the less reputable side of the American government through handling classified documents. As he grows increasingly disillusioned, Boyce decides to sell the information to the Russians in an act of defiance. A drug-addicted friend of Boyce's, Daulton Lee (Sean Penn), becomes involved in the plot and acts as a middleman between Boyce and the Soviets, but the erratic Lee fails to cover his tracks.

Director: John Schlesinger
Producer: John Schlesinger, Gabriel Katzka
Screenwriter: Steven Zaillian, Robert Lindsey
Distributor: Globo Video [br], Roadshow Home Video [au], Orion Pictures
Production Co: Hemdale Film Corporation [us]
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 25, 1985, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.9M
Runtime: 2h 11m
Sound Mix: Surround

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