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The Player

1992 · Movie · R · 124 min · ★ 7.2 · 92% critics

MysteryDramaThrillerComedyCrime

A Hollywood studio executive starts receiving threatening notes from a writer he turned down, and he tries to figure out which one it is. As pressure builds, he gets pulled deeper into the cutthroat world of movie business deals, rivalries, and image management.

Based on The Player

IMDb

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Streaming on HBO Max and Cinemax.

2 hours to watch.

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Details
Years
1992
Release date
1992-05-08
Language
English
Rated
R
Runtime
124 min
Critic score
92/100
TMDB rating
7.2/10 (952 votes)
Box office
$28,876,702
Budget
$8,000,000
About

You may like this if you enjoy sharp, self-aware stories about Hollywood power games and clever satire; Not for you if you want warm characters or straightforward suspense, though fans of Gosford Park or Glengarry Glen Ross may appreciate it.

Pros: sharp Hollywood satire; witty dialogue; strong lead performance | Cons: slow start; cynical tone; uneven suspense

Themes

  • based on novel or book
  • homicide
  • movie business
  • blackmail
  • screenwriter
  • hollywood
  • death threat
  • movie mogul
  • movie studio
  • studio executive
  • appreciative
  • baffled
  • +1 more

Awards & recognition

  • National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
  • Academy Award — Best Director · 1993 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Film Editing · 1993 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 1993 · nominated

Cast & crew

Directed by Robert Altman