Heartbreak Ridge

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Heartbreak Ridge

R,

1986,

2h 9m,

War/

Comedy/

Drama/

Action

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Watchlist

63%

30 Reviews

Tomatometer

74%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

63%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Marine Sgt. Thomas Highway (Clint Eastwood) is a decorated veteran of two wars. On his last posting before retirement, he is surrounded by officers with no combat experience who view him as an odd, even dangerous, holdover. Highway is assigned to train a group of undisciplined recruits including Cpl. Stitch Jones (Mario Van Peebles), a slick hustler who has previously encountered Highway. As the old soldier prepares his men for a war they don't believe will come, the U.S. invades Grenada.

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Critics Consensus

With Heartbreak Ridge, director Clint Eastwood gets one of his best performances out of himself, even if the story struggles to engage.

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David Stratton

Sydney Morning Herald

May 27, 2021

Eastwood serves us up with a hoary old story about a platoon of malcontents whipped into fighting shape by a tough veteran sergeant.

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Mike Daly

The Age (Australia)

Dec 15, 2020

There are no surprises in films like Heartbreak Ridge, only catharsis. Like war and contact sport, they release the pent-up aggression of adolescent males. Never mind the cliches, feel the muscle.

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Pat Graham

Chicago Reader

Aug 6, 2020

The whole film seems ideologically forced and out of place, an attempt to resurrect the retentive virtues of Ford and Hawks without the cultural context that gave them expressive strength.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Feb 13, 2026

2/4

...the far-from-enthralling feel is compounded by an almost total lack of interesting, three-dimensional periphery figures...

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Jul 24, 2025

2/5

Moderately manageable meatball cinema for about an hour. But the film quickly wears out its welcome with repetitive moments of tough love taught to sops and sissies. “The only thing we’re fighting is boredom,” one character quips. You said it, Corporal.

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

Aug 6, 2020

3/5

There's a by-the-numbers feel to it all, but Eastwood is the main reason to watch, as he whips the troops into shape in readiness for the invasion of Grenada.

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Leia L

Mar 25, 2019

A great movie I can watch over and over again.

Rey S

Dec 6, 2018

Eastwood stars (and directed) the film as Thomas "Gunny" Highway, a very seasoned and highly decorated, but a troublesome U.S. Marine gunnery sergeant. Highway begins what may be his last tour of duty and along the way, he deals with a rowdy and undisciplined bunch of recruits (Mario Van Peebles being the most sarcastic and cocky one among the bunch) and turns them into reliable soldiers, Major Powers (Everett McGill), a higher-ranking officer who totally dislikes Highway, and tries to revive his relationship with Aggie (Marsha Mason), his ex-wife who isn't afraid to tell him about the misery that she has suffered. If you are a fan of Clint I suppose you can give this film a shot.

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Anakin W

Nov 23, 2017

Clint Eastwood films are either en pointe or they just don't work & in my opinion this was a film that just failed to grip. The story of disgruntled Marine Instructor back teaching recruits but largely out of date with modern soldiers & the way of life in the Marines Today. Has some good scenes here or there but fails to grab you overall, I found myself regularly distracted & Un engaged.

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Finn L

Mar 24, 2017

Eastwood delivers it and with thunder and bang. He rocks ! It's a bit macho as usual but has got depth in each single frame.

Han L

Feb 20, 2017

Clint Eastwood has his full share of extreme trash talk and tough guy persona as a Marine Sargent here. Hard not to get a chuckle between the young men and Clint whipping them into shape. Good blend of comedy and drama

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Hermione S

Feb 6, 2017

A very by the numbers action/drama that does nothing spectacular but is good enough to keep the average action movie fan entertained. Overall a weaker entry in the Clint Eastwood filmography.

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Clint Eastwood

Director

Clint Eastwood

Sergeant Thomas Highway

Marsha Mason

Aggie

Everett McGill

Major Malcolm A. Powers

Moses Gunn

Staff Sergeant Webster

Eileen Heckart

Little Marry Jackson

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Synopsis

Marine Sgt. Thomas Highway (Clint Eastwood) is a decorated veteran of two wars. On his last posting before retirement, he is surrounded by officers with no combat experience who view him as an odd, even dangerous, holdover. Highway is assigned to train a group of undisciplined recruits including Cpl. Stitch Jones (Mario Van Peebles), a slick hustler who has previously encountered Highway. As the old soldier prepares his men for a war they don't believe will come, the U.S. invades Grenada.

Director: Clint Eastwood
Producer: Clint Eastwood
Screenwriter: James Carabatsos
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Malpaso Company, Jay Weston Productions
Rating: R
Genre: War, Comedy, Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 5, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $41.0M
Runtime: 2h 9m
Sound Mix: Surround

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