Pollock
Seen it?2000 | 132 min | Drama, History
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (80% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it won an Oscar, despite soft box office. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for history buffs. If you loved Lust for Life or Get On Up, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 12 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
In August of 1949, Life Magazine ran a banner headline that begged the question: "Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?" The film is a look back into the life of an extraordinary man, a man who has fittingly been called "an artist dedicated to concealment, a celebrity who nobody knew." As he struggled with self-doubt, engaging in a lonely tug-of-war between needing to express himself and wanting to shut the world out, Pollock began a downward spiral.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
80% on Rotten Tomatoes, 77 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.7 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 Oscar: Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress. Also nominated for 1 more Oscar and 1 Independent Spirit Award. Plus 2 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$11 million worldwide on a $6 million budget
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 117K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Ed Harris
- Ed HarrisJackson Pollock
- Marcia Gay HardenLee Krasner
- Tom BowerDan Miller
- Jennifer ConnellyRuth Kligman
- Bud CortHoward Putzel
- John HeardTony Smith
- Val KilmerWillem DeKooning
- David LearyCharles Pollock
- Robert KnottSande Pollock
- Stephanie SeymourHelen Frankenthaler