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The Best Years of Our Lives

Name: The Best Years of Our Lives
Genre: Drama
Released: 1972-01-01
Cast: Cüneyt Arkın, Müşerref Tezcan, Süleyman Turan, Bilâl İnci, Bora Ayanoğlu

1972 | 89 min | Drama

Friday Night Flickearly rating

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (93 on Metacritic), it won 6 Oscars and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Right up the alley of anyone who loves an underdog and people who like stories about real, flawed people. The sport matters, but the people playing it matter more. If you loved Raging Bull or Creed III, start here.
The mood: Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace: Quiet, then quietly devastating, at 1 hr 29 min. It jumps around in time, so stay with it.
What might put you off: Made in 1972: an older pace and style.
Not the one if you want explosions or easy laughs.

Four inseparable friends from childhood struggle in the best years of their lives when one grows up to become a prize fighter, second a police detective, third a nightclub runner and the fourth sets them all at loggerheads.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
93 on Metacritic
AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
AwardsVery strong
Won 6 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Picture, Academy Awards: Best Director, Academy Awards: Best Actor, Academy Awards: Best Film Editing and 2 more.
Box office & staying powerBelow par
$24 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 267K people sought it out in the past year

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Cast & crew

Directed by Süreyya Duru

Cüneyt ArkınMurat Par
Müşerref TezcanLale
Süleyman TuranNecdet
Bilâl İnciAli Reis
Bora Ayanoğlu
Süreyya Duru
Dündar Aydınlı
Recep Filiz
Mualla Omay
Kayhan Yıldızoğlu