The Hero

Lionsgate Home Entertainment | Release Date: June 9, 2017

6.7	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Ratings

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tim73034Jul 3, 2017

This is a great movie. Definitely a break from the action adventure popcorn movies, a break in a good way! The story is amazing and I was genuinely sad when the movie ended, I wanted more!

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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moviemitch96Jul 8, 2017

First thing's first: Sam Elliot gives us his career-best performance in this. He's all the reason you need to see this simple, yet often times touching film. Sure, it's got its fair share of dramatic cliches, and the whole "veteran actorFirst thing's first: Sam Elliot gives us his career-best performance in this. He's all the reason you need to see this simple, yet often times touching film. Sure, it's got its fair share of dramatic cliches, and the whole "veteran actor playing a character coming to terms with his age" storyline has been visited a handful of times in many other films as well, but Elliot's charm and just the right touch of emotion from him alone is more than enough to overcome all of that to make this a great and well-worthwhile film overall!… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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LynNov 28, 2017

I'm not sure any gunslinger Sam Elliott has played in the movies was any braver than Elliott himself was in playing this part. Also not sure how many people want to see a film about an older guy just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. (Not aI'm not sure any gunslinger Sam Elliott has played in the movies was any braver than Elliott himself was in playing this part. Also not sure how many people want to see a film about an older guy just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. (Not a spoiler; we learn this right away.) It isn't a depressing film, honest. But while Elliott and his character are early 70s, when you see him from behind -- white hair, scrawny frame, neck skin with tire tracks in it -- he could be 99. Elliott portrays an actor who naturally is quite privileged, despite not getting calls for movies anymore. Yet his late-in-life struggles and insights have a universal quality one can identify with (say, at middle age or later). There's a scene with Katharine Ross --his real wife, playing his ex-wife -- that is beautifully subtle. Not sure about the 30-something girlfriend who turns up, but she quotes Edna St. Vincent Millay so I'll give her a pass.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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TVJerryJul 3, 2017

This movie was written for Sam Elliott and it's a blessing for us and him. He gives a performance of such beautiful subtlety and touching depth that he will surely appear on this year's awards nominations. He plays a 70+ actor who's iconicThis movie was written for Sam Elliott and it's a blessing for us and him. He gives a performance of such beautiful subtlety and touching depth that he will surely appear on this year's awards nominations. He plays a 70+ actor who's iconic role was in a Western 40 years ago. He's still struggling to maintain, while smoking a lot of pot and dealing with a cancer diagnosis. His interactions with the rest of the excellent cast (including Katharine Ross, his real-life wife) intensify his longing and add underplayed passion to the story. The occasional venture into artsy dream sequences slows the pace and adds more pretention than meaning. Despite a script that's overload with the character's frustrations, the movie is worth seeing for Elliott's nuanced and moving portrayal.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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GreatMartinJun 23, 2017

Sam Elliot is one of those very rare actors who can make a bad role and/or movie better just because he is doing a role and he does it effortlessly! He is very seldom the star of a movie but whatever star is playing opposite in a scene isSam Elliot is one of those very rare actors who can make a bad role and/or movie better just because he is doing a role and he does it effortlessly! He is very seldom the star of a movie but whatever star is playing opposite in a scene is forgotten as your eyes will go to him. Tall, lean, with a silver mane any old man would envy plus a mustache that falls in love with women (see the movie!) and a voice that can melt any female, plus quite a few males, that even with 50 movies plus 137 episodes and television movies he has never reached that upper tier of actors and has very seldom been listed above the title.

In "the Hero" Sam Elliot, and that mustache, star in the film experiencing every emotion a man can have including all the extremes and takes the audience along with him. We see, and believe, a woman, Charlotte (Laura Prepon), 35 years younger than him, falling in love and pursuing him. We feel bad for him when he messes up an audition and we cheer when accepting an award his speech goes viral to over 2 million people. His disconnect with his daughter Lucy (Krysten Ritter) is heartbreaking and his reaching out to the wife he is divorced from, Kathryn Ross (his real life wife), is touching as you understand why they divorced.

The story revolves around Lee Hayden, who made a western movie four decades ago that was a big hit but he is now making a living doing voice over commercials. His best, and seemingly only, friend is a fellow actor Jeremy (Nick Offerman) who had appeared in a TV series with him and now makes a living selling drugs, including to Lee and Charlotte which is how they meet. On the same day that he is asked to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Western Appreciation and Preservation Guild he receives the news from his doctor that the tumors he has found on Lee's pancreas is malignant.

Though we wish "The Hero" had followed, and gotten more into, the relationship between Charlotte and Lee just watching Sam Elliot makes sitting through this 93 minute movie a treat. Stretching it with too many waves landing on the beach, it takes place in Los Angeles, Director Brett Haley, who also wrote the screenplay with Marc Basch, throws in some not meant to be but are laughable scenes involving the poetry of Edna St. Millay and Lee, Charlotte and Jeremy smoking weed in scenes that add nothing to the movie except time. The soundtrack offers many songs adding to the many different moods in the film.

For fans of Sam Elliot this is a must see fan while those who may be familiar with his face should come to see it for the actor. Laura Prepon, of "Orange Is The New Black", is new to me and I am looking forward to seeing her in more movies.

And lets not forget that mustache!!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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JLuis_001Sep 9, 2017

A simple story, maybe a little bit repetitive and cliche that is saved by the great acting commitment of its protagonist.
Not as good as I thought it would be, but it works enough to enjoy it this weekend.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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RichardGonciOct 1, 2017

I really wanted to like this movie, as I am a fan of Sam Elliott. But, in the end a great movie needs a good+ script which is not just a rehash of aged plot lines... and, it also needs something that looks like direction. Neither of whichI really wanted to like this movie, as I am a fan of Sam Elliott. But, in the end a great movie needs a good+ script which is not just a rehash of aged plot lines... and, it also needs something that looks like direction. Neither of which were in evidence here. Many scenes were just short of somnambulent. As in sleep inducing. Kinda a waste of an iconic actor.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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DOUGKJul 4, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Torture...We don't need waterboarding, we could just force prisoners to watch this movie over and over. Horribly boring, no characters are worth caring about, no development, no dialog of any wit or importance. Like to watch people smoke dope, drink, have banal conversation, go for it. Hollywood is at the bottom of human culture, loves to look at itself.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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LeZeeFeb 4, 2018

The tale of an aging iconic actor!

This film is kind of honours Sam Elliott for his real life achievement. Anyway, he was phenomenal. The film was realistic, so most of the parts were slow moving. This is about an aging film actor, who hasThe tale of an aging iconic actor!

This film is kind of honours Sam Elliott for his real life achievement. Anyway, he was phenomenal. The film was realistic, so most of the parts were slow moving. This is about an aging film actor, who has not worked on any projects recently. So desperate to get one, but sad news brings a speed breaker to his life. Now confused him, does not know how to approach the rest of the life. He starts with his family to fix the past mistake. The remaining tale focused on his other things.

It was Sam Elliott's major role in decades. This should be watched for him considering his real life as an actor. It will be a good film for those who have seen his old films, particularly westerns. The actor who did not just survived because of his iconic mustache and golden voice, but have given fine performances too. This was a too simple film. It do has emotions, but not appealing enough. I might slightly rated it low, but the film is good, at least for once watching.

6/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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CoKronakanMar 16, 2018

What I really liked about this movie, it's the fact that it wasn't the typical cliche story with a happy ending. It has a nice emotional feel to it and, it also depicts real life events, and more precisely the hard life of an old retiredWhat I really liked about this movie, it's the fact that it wasn't the typical cliche story with a happy ending. It has a nice emotional feel to it and, it also depicts real life events, and more precisely the hard life of an old retired actor. The cast is great, and the director's style is also a good change in the right direction. What was really a miss for me, it was the ending. Or rather not having a conclusion. It just seemed that they rushed the ending and there was no conclusion to the story. The matter of fact is that there was one but it was to vague and you had to look to hard to find it. Overall it's a pretty movie, mostly relaxing and an above average.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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