River's Edge

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River's Edge

R,

1987,

1h 38m,

Drama/

Crime

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Watchlist

Watchlist

88%

42 Reviews

Tomatometer

75%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

42 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Teenage burnout Samson (Daniel Roebuck) has murdered his girlfriend and left her naked body lying on the bank of a river just outside their small California town. He not only doesn't run away, he brings his friends to gawk at her dead body. Speed freak Layne (Crispin Glover) tries to force the teens' silence to protect their friend, but conscience is gnawing at the others -- particularly Matt (Keanu Reeves) and Clarissa (Ione Skye Leitch), who want to go to the police.

Critics Consensus

A harrowing tale of aimless youth, River's Edge generates considerable tension and urgency thanks to strong performances from a stellar cast that includes Crispin Glover, Keanu Reeves, and Ione Skye.

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Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

Nov 11, 2013

The triumph of this bleak, unsettling picture is that, no matter how grim it gets, it's far too involving for you to turn away.

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Michael Wilmington

Los Angeles Times

Nov 11, 2013

River's Edge is a contemporary horror story about teen-agers, but it contains no slasher scenes or serial homicides. Its monsters are all too real.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Jul 18, 2007

An unusually downbeat and depressing youth pic.

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Steve Warren

Bay Area Reporter

Mar 29, 2023

Many of the young actors in River's Edge should be heard from again, with Reeves a particular standout.

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Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

Sep 23, 2022

9.5/10

There’s something specifically unsettling in the authentic way that River’s Edge captures the pervading ennui of eking out an existence in this type of go-nowhere place.

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Aug 24, 2022

A

The passage of 35 years has made River’s Edge feel more timelessly tragic. Other than a few bits of score that briefly make the movie sound like a banal ‘80s thriller, it has aged very, very well.

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Leia R

Apr 6, 2019

great story, certainly worth a watch. rather depressing at times but good

Abraham S

Mar 11, 2019

The fact that Crispin Glover has a single acting credit following the abortion that was his performance in this film is staggering. It was cartoonishly ridiculous. In spite of how distractingly awful he was, the film is still enjoyable.

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Ron L

Dec 2, 2017

So bad I couldn't even watch half of it.

Albus S

Oct 3, 2017

Before there was Mean Creek, there was River's Edge. A dark, morbidly funny, tension-filled teen melodrama that is easily one of the most complex films of the 80s. This ain't no Bill & Ted, but it's still excellent!

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Ron R

Sep 24, 2017

the antithesis of 80's movies

Draco M

Jul 29, 2017

A key picture of the 80's, about the generation that is completely lost after the previous generation of baby-boomers did their historical impact on the society. They broke all the conventions, all morality and they were so happy with that. But nothing they proposed to the world except the complete lack of aim in life. That teacher in this movie that exults at the baby-boomers "success" and "we stopped the war in Vietnam", "now you ladies are supposed to have careers" and all the other nonsense like this is one of important examples of why the younger generation suffers these problems that are depicted in this wonderfully bleak movie. Dennis Hopper's character is another showcase of disappointment. He used to be one of those hippies, rebels, world-shakers. And now we find him at the lowest stage of a human being, a drunkard and disillusioned man. Crispin Glover's performance is absolutely astonishing.

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Tim Hunter

Director

Crispin Glover

Layne

Keanu Reeves

Matt

Dennis Hopper

Feck

Ione Skye

Clarissa

Roxana Zal

Maggie

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Synopsis

Teenage burnout Samson (Daniel Roebuck) has murdered his girlfriend and left her naked body lying on the bank of a river just outside their small California town. He not only doesn't run away, he brings his friends to gawk at her dead body. Speed freak Layne (Crispin Glover) tries to force the teens' silence to protect their friend, but conscience is gnawing at the others -- particularly Matt (Keanu Reeves) and Clarissa (Ione Skye Leitch), who want to go to the police.

Director: Tim Hunter
Producer: Sarah Pillsbury, Midge Sanford
Screenwriter: Neal Jimenez
Production Co: Hemdale Film Corporation [us], Sanford/Pillsbury Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Crime
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.2M
Runtime: 1h 38m

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