A Pure Formality
Seen it?1994 | 111 min | Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Drama
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (80% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans and anyone who likes to be kept guessing.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 51 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Italian, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Famous writer Onoff is now a recluse. The Inspector is suspicious when Onoff is brought into the station one night, disoriented and suffering a kind of amnesia. In an isolated, rural police station, the Inspector tries to establish the events surrounding a killing, to reach a startling resolution.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
80% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.4 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 11K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
- Gérard DepardieuOnoff
- Roman PolanskiInspector
- Sergio RubiniAndre
- Nicola Di PintoCaptain
- Tano CimarosaServant
- Paolo LombardiMarshall
- Maria Rosa SpagnoloPaula
- Alberto Sironi
- Giovanni Morricone
- Mahdi Kraiem