Blow Out

Name: Blow Out
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Released: July 24, 1981
Duration: 107 min
Rating: 86
Cast: Dennis Franz, John Lithgow, John Travolta, Nancy Allen

1981

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 42 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	Your Score
7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 42 Ratings

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Blow Out

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Movie Details & Credits

Filmways Pictures | Release Date: July 24, 1981 | R

Starring: Dennis Franz, John Lithgow, John Travolta, Nancy Allen

Summary: A movie sound recordist (John Travolta) accidentally records the evidence that proves that a car accident was actually an intentional killing and consequently finds himself in jeopardy.

Director: Brian De Palma

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 107 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Roger Ebert

Best of all, this movie is inhabited by a real cinematic intelligence. The audience isn't condescended to. In sequences like the one in which Travolta reconstructs a film and sound record of the accident, we're challenged and stimulated: We share the excitement of figuring out how things develop and unfold, when so often the movies only need us as passive witnesses. Read full review

100

IndieWire Max O'Connell

Mixing the hooks of Antonioni’s Blow-Up (murder mystery caught via photograph) and Coppola’s The Conversation (murder plot uncovered via sound recording), De Palma made his best film about the power and the limits of film and voyeurism, as well as his most emotionally devastating work. Read full review

100

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Travolta gives a sensitive performance, as does the director's then-wife Nancy Allen. The film's emphasis on the role of sound technology in movie-making is unusual and instructive. Read full review

Chris Nashawaty

Deliciously twisty and twisted. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

This 1981 release is one of Brian De Palma's more interesting and better-made thrillers, though it's even more abjectly derivative than his Hitchcock imitations (borrowing mightily this time from Antonioni's Blowup, as the title suggests). Read full review

Vincent Canby

Yet more important than anything else about Blow Out is its total, complete and utter preoccupation with film itself as a medium in which, as Mr. De Palma has said along with a number of other people, style really is content. Read full review

David Ansen

De Palma has brought back Travolta's edge and intelligence. Relieved of having to give a star turn, Travolta seems happy to buckle down and do a straight-ahead, no-frills acting job. [27 July 1981, p.74]

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User Reviews

Habibiehakim

Nov 17, 2021

De Palma's can make a similar story with the same technique and it's still fantastic, Blow Out it's hell of a terrifying movie, De Palma's camera is you, you literally feel like you was involved every second of it, you feel it, you saw it, and you care about it, it's a masterful of a workDe Palma's can make a similar story with the same technique and it's still fantastic, Blow Out it's hell of a terrifying movie, De Palma's camera is you, you literally feel like you was involved every second of it, you feel it, you saw it, and you care about it, it's a masterful of a work with a marvelous performance by all the cast, Blow Out is another solid terrifying thriller by Brian De Palma.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

JeBjBo

Sep 2, 2023

This one sits with you. And the more you think about "Blow Out", the more fascinating it gets. Not as flashy or sleazy as De Palma's films before and after this, I can understand why it got overlooked initially. But I'm glad I finally checked it out because, while the screenplay is very goodThis one sits with you. And the more you think about "Blow Out", the more fascinating it gets. Not as flashy or sleazy as De Palma's films before and after this, I can understand why it got overlooked initially. But I'm glad I finally checked it out because, while the screenplay is very good in how it infuses the story with paranoia, the real star is the editing and camerawork (+ the sound design)! Travolta is amazing, you can interpret a lot of stuff into this film, not much more that I can say what others haven't already said. It's very moody, and very good.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Voodoo123

Sep 22, 2022

+Fantastic cast
+Great pacing/editing
+Decent plot -Some leaps of logic interrupt the flow towards the end The movie carries an interesting - slightly nerdy concept of a sound recordist embroiled in a cover up plot. The film starts as a mystery drama and then becomes a fairly run of the+Fantastic cast
+Great pacing/editing
+Decent plot
-Some leaps of logic interrupt the flow towards the end

The movie carries an interesting - slightly nerdy concept of a sound recordist embroiled in a cover up plot. The film starts as a mystery drama and then becomes a fairly run of the mill thriller. A very well done albeit unsurprising watch.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

royalguy07

Jan 6, 2023

Some cool and inventive camera work, definitely loses a lot of steam in the middle portion. Features one of the most shocking ending scenes I can every remember, I can't decide if was brilliant or the stupidest thing I have ever seen.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Broyax

May 29, 2023

Un film assez déséquilibré qui commence par un complot, se développe à la manière d’un thriller, puis s’arrête sans crier gare, le complot ne servant que de prétexte à une succession de meurtres menés sinistrement par l’inquiétant John Lithgow, psychopathe débutant ici.

Travolta est plutôtUn film assez déséquilibré qui commence par un complot, se développe à la manière d’un thriller, puis s’arrête sans crier gare, le complot ne servant que de prétexte à une succession de meurtres menés sinistrement par l’inquiétant John Lithgow, psychopathe débutant ici.

Travolta est plutôt bon et d’une sobriété remarquable, tentant de laisser derrière lui les affres de la pathétique fièvre du samedi soir, surtout qu’il bénéficie dans la VF de la voix de notre Gégé national, excusez du peu ! Nancy pour sa part est toujours aussi mignonne, ce qui ne gâte rien.

La musique criarde et larmoyante est par contre détestable tandis que De Palma délivre une mise en scène un brin maniérée dont il a le secret et qu’il lui faudra raffiner encore bien des années. Le film reste bien mené mais l’impression globale n’est pas forcément agréable, car ‘Blow out’ est construit à dire vrai exclusivement sur et en vue de son dénouement tout à fait… discutable.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Trailesque

Feb 15, 2023

This pokes fun at trashy, violent flicks while simultaneously being one. The narrative connections to the Ted Kennedy - Chappaquiddick incident and Antonioni's Blow Up add something.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

RealityReviews

Jul 29, 2022

How this movie got good ratings is beyond me. Very mediocre and poor acting. Not worth the rent or watch. Don’t believe the hype. Trust me!

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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