A Dry White Season
Seen it?1989 | 107 min | Drama, Thriller
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (81% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little 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 anyone who likes to be kept guessing. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 47 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
During the 1976 Soweto uprising, a white school teacher's life and values are threatened when he asks questions about the death of a young black boy who died in police custody.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 68 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.7 out of 10
- AwardsSolid
Nominated for 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe and 1 BAFTA.
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 45K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Euzhan Palcy
- Donald SutherlandBen du Toit
- Janet SuzmanSusan du Toit
- Zakes MokaeStanley Makhaya
- Jürgen ProchnowCaptain Stolz
- Susan SarandonMelanie Bruwer
- Marlon BrandoIan McKenzie
- Winston NtshonaGordon Ngubene
- Thoko NtshingaEmily Ngubene
- Leonard MaguireBruwer
- Gerard ThoolenColonel Viljoen