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Poster for The Rifleman

The Rifleman

Seen it?

2019 | 124 min | War, Drama, History

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

It earned strong reviews (75% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz and soft box office. 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 history buffs. If you loved 1917 or Flags of Our Fathers, start here.
The mood
Intense.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 4 min.
What might put you off
It's in another language, so expect subtitles (or a dub).

The love story of sixteen-year-old Arturs is interrupted by the First World War. After losing his mother and his home, he finds some consolation in joining the army, because this is the first time national battalions are allowed in the Russian Empire. But war is nothing like Arturs imagined – no glory, no fairness. It is brutal and painful. Arturs is now completely alone as war takes the lives of his father and brother. Also, no progress is made in the promised quick resolution of the war and timely return home. Within the notion that only he alone cares about returning home and that his homeland is just a playground for other nations, Arturs finds strength for the final battle and eventually returns home to start everything from scratch, just like his newly born country.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    75% on Rotten Tomatoes, 63 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.3 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    9 wins and 11 nominations from smaller awards and festivals

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 22K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Dzintars Dreibergs

  • Oto BrantevicsArturs Vanags
  • Vilis DaudziņšCol. Sala
  • Ivars Krasts
  • Gatis GāgaKonrads
  • Martins VilsonsVanags
  • Rēzija KalniņaMother
  • Raimonds CelmsEdgars Vanags
  • Jēkabs ReinisMikelsons
  • Ieva Florence-VīksneMirdza
  • Renārs ZeltiņšSpilva