The Deer Hunter

Name: The Deer Hunter
Genre: Drama, War
Released: 1978-12-08
Duration: 183 min
Rating: 8

1978 · Movie · R · 183 min · ★ 8.0 · 88% critics

DramaWar

Three close friends from a working-class steel town enlist and are sent to Vietnam, leaving behind a tight-knit community and unfinished hopes at home. The experience tests their bond and sense of self, and the struggle to return to ordinary life becomes as defining as what happened overseas.

Also known as The Man Who Came to Play

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Details

Years: 1978
Release date: 1978-12-08
Language: English
Rated: R
Runtime: 183 min
Critic score: 88/100
TMDB rating: 8.0/10 (4,251 votes)
Box office: $50,000,000
Budget: $15,000,000

About

You’ll likely connect with this if you want a long, character-driven Vietnam-era drama focused on friendship and trauma rather than constant combat; Not for you if you dislike slow pacing, bleak intensity, or marathon runtimes like Platoon.

Pros: powerful performances; intense psychological impact; memorable set pieces | Cons: very long runtime; slow, meandering first hour; controversial war depiction