In Dubious Battle

Name: In Dubious Battle
Genre: Drama
Released: February 17, 2017
Duration: 110 min
Rating: 43
Cast: Ahna O'Reilly, Analeigh Tipton, Jack Kehler, James Franco, Nat Wolff

2017

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 28 Ratings

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 28 Ratings

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In Dubious Battle

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Movie Details & Credits

Momentum Pictures | Release Date: February 17, 2017 | R

Starring: Ahna O'Reilly, Analeigh Tipton, Jack Kehler, James Franco, Nat Wolff, Sam Shepard, Scott Haze, Selena Gomez, Vincent D'Onofrio

Summary: In the California apple country, nine hundred migratory workers rise up "in dubious battle" against the landowners. The group takes on a life of its own—stronger than its individual members and more frightening. Led by the doomed Jim Nolan (Nat Wolff), the strike is founded on his tragic idealism, on the "courage never to submit or yield."

Director: James Franco

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 110 min

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Critic Reviews

Leah Greenblatt

Feb 16, 2017

For all its noble intentions, though, the movie struggles to transcend broad outlines: Its characters are strictly symbols, timeworn archetypes of good and evil as threadbare and familiar as the artfully faded calicos and denim on their backs. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Jan 31, 2017

As thrilling as it is that Franco got In Dubious Battle made — the title comes from Milton’s “Paradise Lost” — and as impressive as the cast list is on paper, his inability to spot star power and screen charisma in actors younger than himself lets him and Steinbeck down. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Feb 3, 2017

The movie gives us bits and pieces of drama, but in a larger way it doesn’t invite us in. Read full review

Lee Marshall

Feb 3, 2017

A film that, after its initial promise, descends, at times, into TV-historical-drama mannerisms. Read full review

The Playlist Jessica Kiang

Feb 3, 2017

It’s maybe Franco’s best-crafted film to date, and also maybe his dullest. Read full review

IndieWire Jude Dry

Feb 18, 2017

Franco clearly enjoys playing the idealistic rabble rouser, and who wouldn’t want to direct a movie so they could cast themselves as a charismatic radical? Unfortunately, watching someone else play make believe is only fun if you believe it yourself. Read full review

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

Feb 15, 2017

This one even comes with a freebie: It’s got “dubious” right there in the title. But instead of being sloppily miscalculated (the “Franco touch”), this attempt at a Depression-era labor drama in the vein of John Sayles just bores its way through almost two hours of screen time, never rising above anonymity. Read full review

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User Reviews

wales7388

Jun 11, 2019

james franco needs to expand and stop making such small minor movies nontheless this history flick proves us wrong

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

diannax

Mar 20, 2021

Love it! Selena Gomez is such a great actress.(plus singer, songwriter, dancer, producer, activist, designer, ambassador, influencer)

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

moonlite

Jun 25, 2019

Finally got to see this on itunes the other day and i have to say it is criminally underrated. The cast is next level

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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