The Quiet American
2002 · Movie · R · 101 min · ★ 6.6 · 86% critics
In 1950s Saigon, a world-weary foreign correspondent tries to hold onto a fragile romance as a well-meaning American newcomer enters his life. As political tensions rise and loyalties blur, personal jealousy and moral choices pull him deeper into a dangerous web of intrigue and betrayal.
Based on The Quiet American
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Streaming on Paramount+.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 2002
- Release date
- 2002-11-22
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Critic score
- 86/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.6/10 (331 votes)
- Budget
- $30,000,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a thoughtful wartime drama mixing romance, moral ambiguity, and political intrigue rather than nonstop action; Not for you if you dislike slow burns or messy love triangles like in Paradise Now.
Pros: tense wartime romance; strong lead performances; steady intrigue | Cons: slow, dialogue-heavy stretches; love triangle feels thin; politics can feel heavy
Themes
- vietnam war
- journalist
- based on novel or book
- love triangle
- female lover
- saigon
- indochina
- 1950s
- indochina war
- ho chi minh
Awards & recognition
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Academy Award — Best Actor · 2003 · nominated
Cast & crew
Michael Caine
as Thomas Fowler
Brendan Fraser
as Alden Pyle
Đỗ Thị Hải Yến
as Phuong
Tzi Ma
as Hinh
Rade Šerbedžija
as Inspector Vigot
Robert Stanton
as Joe Tunney
Holmes Osborne
as Bill Granger
Ngo Quang Hai
as General Thế
Ferdinand Hoang
as Mr. Muoi
Pham Thi Mai Hoa
as Phuong's Sister
Directed by Phillip Noyce