Rudderless

Samuel Goldwyn Films | Release Date: October 17, 2014

7.9	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 68 Ratings

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wales7388Jun 11, 2019

snubbed from various awards easily couldve been a contender for the sags or critics choice. gomez is a clear standout here

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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ydnar4Sep 4, 2015

I was surprised by how much I liked Rudderless. Its an excellent film considering it is coming from first time director William H Macy. There are several pretty good performances in this movie the most notable one being Billy Crudup. I'veI was surprised by how much I liked Rudderless. Its an excellent film considering it is coming from first time director William H Macy. There are several pretty good performances in this movie the most notable one being Billy Crudup. I've loved Crudup ever since I've seen Almost Famous and I felt he never got enough attention for that amazing role. Crudup plays his role so well and with so much confidence that you feel like you actually know him personally. Anton Yelchin was really good as well and I'll be temped to see other films with him in it because I haven't seen much of his movies other than Star Trek. I was also really impressed with Laurence Fishburne, he was surprisingly really funny and the story had a lot more comedy than I thought I was getting.
I was expecting a clichéd story with this movie and it seems like the movie is constantly pushing you towards a clichéd ending but I was shocked that it did form a good conclusion that really wasn't the easy way out. Props to William H Macy.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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Matt_WestphalenOct 21, 2014

Finally got to see Rudderless last night & it was worth the wait! Such
a powerful & emotional film! The movie takes you on emotional ride
filled with inspiring music. You really feel like a fly on the wall watching the difficult journeyFinally got to see Rudderless last night & it was worth the wait! Such
a powerful & emotional film! The movie takes you on emotional ride
filled with inspiring music. You really feel like a fly on the wall
watching the difficult journey that Billy Crudup takes. The music
scenes get you so excited it is hard to not start cheering and clapping
while the band rocks the house. The relationship between Crudup and
Yelchin is fantastic and sweet. Jeff Robison & Casey Twenter wrote such
an amazing story that will stick with you for the rest of your life &
shows how strong a parents love for their child is. I can't wait to see
what Jeff & Casey do next! Keep your eyes on these amazing writers on
their way to greatness! Go See it NOW!!!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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popgunJul 16, 2015

Maybe it's a little bit a mans movie, or more specifically a 'dads' movie, but I found this movie quite touching. It has a warmth and a humanity that gives the story (and its twist) a certain edge that you can but enjoy. There are noMaybe it's a little bit a mans movie, or more specifically a 'dads' movie, but I found this movie quite touching. It has a warmth and a humanity that gives the story (and its twist) a certain edge that you can but enjoy. There are no flash-bang special effects to dazzle you with, and no gung-ho action set pieces to talk about later, but there's an easy and compellingly sad story to follow, some wonderful relationships forming, and the music is just excellent.
Billy Crudup and Laurence Fishburne play the serious adults in this and Anton Yelchin plays a great part as the troubled youth. All are excellent.
As the last (and best song imo) of the film played out, there were tears in my eyes. It's a film I've watched many times now and I still love it.
If you like a film with a little humanity in it, give it a try.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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erickxSep 1, 2015

amei a rainha teen no filme -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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MalimaOct 17, 2014

Ótimo filme, musicas maravilhosas, ansiosa para que chegue logo no Brasil, e eu praticamente amo filmes com historias baseadas em fatos reais, e além do mais com a Selena, merece a melhor nota sem duvidas....

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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ledaumasOct 19, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Excellent mix of an older cynical combined with youthful idealism. Also, how older can help younger and vice versa. You care a lot about everyone except the Billy Crudup character Sam. Anton is amazing as Quinton, unrecognizable from Chekov. Once you realize what Sam's pain is about, it's quite a shocker and answers why he doesn't tell anyone the truth about the music. Only then, do you feel for him. Great to see Billy and Anton sang the songs themselves an it appears the band members wrote some of the songs (we read the credits). Very moving!… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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DeividAlves_Oct 17, 2014

I still didn't watched this movie, but only to read the story, see the trailer, and this perfect actors and actress, I'm sure of this is amazing, so excited to get watch it, and wanted that movie would come to Brazil's Cinema Theater..

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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SomanskyOct 27, 2014

OMG! I chose to watch this movie because of Mr Macy's rep as a fine actor and the hype and acclaim it received from the media. I should have walked out much earlier but kept disbelieving that an actor of Mr Macy's stature would make a movieOMG! I chose to watch this movie because of Mr Macy's rep as a fine actor and the hype and acclaim it received from the media. I should have walked out much earlier but kept disbelieving that an actor of Mr Macy's stature would make a movie this bad. The music is as trite, formulaic and generative as the dialogue. The main character is asked "Is that the best you got" after having advised his co-star, 'Quitters never win". He thinks for a moment and replies, "yeah that's the best I got". I would ask the same of Mr. Macy.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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LeZeeMay 14, 2016

An impact of the loss of a close one.

If you think it is some B movie, which is overrated, I would say your assumption is totally wrong. I did not know anything about this film either, I thought it was a Christian Bale movie, that's who IAn impact of the loss of a close one.

If you think it is some B movie, which is overrated, I would say your assumption is totally wrong. I did not know anything about this film either, I thought it was a Christian Bale movie, that's who I saw in the poster, but later I came to know it was a different guy. My thought on this changed after watching it, it is really a beautiful drama-music. One of the best films of the 2014 that I would have missed it if I had listened to the lies of the critics. So be careful while choosing such movies, because critics are not always right.

I believe you all had seen enough films based on the school shootings like 'Elephant'. This is a similar kind, except there's no violence in it, I mean the shootout was not shown, but a drama about its consequences, especially in the perspective of the parents. This tale focused on a father whose son had been killed in a such unfortunate event. How it affects his life was narrated wonderfully with some awesome music tracks. A father's mourning and his uncertain future to the self-discovery.

This is Willian H. Macy's directional debut film and he pulled it off quite superbly. Sadly, nobody talks about it in the line of other great films of the year, because it deserves an equal respect and praise. I am not the only one, there are others too who liked it a lot. A simple story and the perfect character exhibitions with the pleasing musics, all these worked in its favour. Supporting roles are enough, Billy Crudup should do more lead roles. After seeing his impressive performance in this I am confident that he can find his own place in the industry. And so Willian H. Macy, I'm looking forward for his future projects.

"There are 14 people in the audience and 10 of them are performers."

It was not inspired by the real story, except the school shootings, but the film incredibly told what happens after such incidents. The best part was balancing the emotions in the storytelling. After watching it in the first 10 minutes, I expected, in fact anybody expects it to be a tearjerker film, but it was not, even though I loved watching the rest of the film. And the twist was very casual which was not meant for the story or the characters, but for the viewers that related to the school shooting that we never saw. So there is a less possibility for us to expect it coming, but it also that brings a better conclusion to the heartwarming tale.

It was like someone's real life, yet not easy to predict the scenes. Cinematically it accomplished its quest to be a good film. Selena Gomez was in a guest role, but for a star like her it was unnecessary to play a small part, especially in a serious theme like this. Because unexpected anticipation grows in us and in the end that might lead to a disappointment, especially for her fans. That is not for her alone, but any other big stars, because it is not a comedy or a superhero film when they appear on the screen, the audience to go crazy. A character with the dialogues means something big, but anyway, she was bad at all.

It wasn't as good performance as Anton Yelchin's previous film '5 to 7' that I saw early this year, but yeah definitely a decent supporting character along with Laurence Fishburne's. Don't mistake it, it was not a powerful drama about grieving alone, but in its small specific expanse it reached what it wanted to tell the audience so perfectly. So, there are some fun parts as well in it in a small quantity. But overall, a film that fulfills its promise. By now you might know that I strongly recommend it, especially if anyone who had ever lost their loved ones, they will feel it in their heart more than others do.

9/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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JLuis_001May 12, 2018

A few months back I watched one of the worst films I've seen in a long time: The Layover, a film surprisingly directed by William H. Macy.
Before I started to see this one I checked the credits and noticed it was filmed by Macy as well.
HeA few months back I watched one of the worst films I've seen in a long time: The Layover, a film surprisingly directed by William H. Macy.
Before I started to see this one I checked the credits and noticed it was filmed by Macy as well.
He made this one before that failure and even though this film has a narrative that plays with emotional manipulation, it's really a solid film, much better crafted and structured and hundred times better acted than The Layover.
Therefore the question is obvious: How did he went from this to that?… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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ShowMeMoreMay 22, 2018

An absolutely excellent film with just the right mix of tragedy, comedy, love, regret and high drama. I did find it to be highly emotionally charged with the various characters being incredibly interesting. And then near the end is thisAn absolutely excellent film with just the right mix of tragedy, comedy, love, regret and high drama. I did find it to be highly emotionally charged with the various characters being incredibly interesting. And then near the end is this realisation of what you've actually been watching.... It's an excellent film and I'll watch it more than once.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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DawdlingPoetNov 24, 2021

I thought this was quite a good film, covering the theme of male (or parental) grief, although it is by no means overly sentimental or sweet, yet I did feel it was a bit touching at times.

I thought Billy Crudup did well in portraying theI thought this was quite a good film, covering the theme of male (or parental) grief, although it is by no means overly sentimental or sweet, yet I did feel it was a bit touching at times.

I thought Billy Crudup did well in portraying the father, Sam, clearly struggling to figure out how to move forward after losing his son - the way he used his voice to speak the thoughts of his late son through the lyrics he discovers. Some of the songs were amusing or thoughtful and I enjoyed the scenes in which the songs were played in public - they were quite buzzing. Its quite a good film at making you think of how you can express yourself (or close relatives) through music.

To be critical, a part of me felt like perhaps more emphasis should, or could, have been put on Sams son, on learning more about his life but then I suppose its meant to be more about Sam than about his son. It is a good film, a decent music related drama but I didn't feel it was especially brilliant so as to deserve a 5 star rating. I can't quite put my finger on what didn't work for it not to get the higher rating, perhaps other than a lack of context maybe (and perhaps the ending was a little cheesy) but I did feel it was quite a good film regardless, so I'd recommend it on that basis.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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