X
  • 1998
  • R
  • Gramercy Pictures (I)
  • 1 h 44 m
  • 1998
  • R
  • Gramercy Pictures (I)
  • 1 h 44 m

Summary Lester Long (Vaughn) has a firm handshake, a ready smile, and some strange ideas about friendship in this 90's noir. As dead bodies start piling up in a small Montana town, Lester burrows his way into Clay's (Phoenix) life and plays a twisted game of shifted blame and double-cross.

Directed By: David Dobkin

Written By: Matthew L. Healy

  • 1998
  • R
  • Gramercy Pictures (I)
  • 1 h 44 m
  • 1998
  • R
  • Gramercy Pictures (I)
  • 1 h 44 m

Clay Pigeons

Metascore Mixed or Average Based on 26 Critic Reviews
46
User Score Generally Favorable Based on 12 User Ratings
7.3
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

Summary Lester Long (Vaughn) has a firm handshake, a ready smile, and some strange ideas about friendship in this 90's noir. As dead bodies start piling up in a small Montana town, Lester burrows his way into Clay's (Phoenix) life and plays a twisted game of shifted blame and double-cross.

Directed By: David Dobkin

Written By: Matthew L. Healy

Where to Watch

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 26 Critic Reviews
46
42% Positive
11 Reviews
42% Mixed
11 Reviews
15% Negative
4 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 26 Critic Reviews
46
42% Positive
11 Reviews
42% Mixed
11 Reviews
15% Negative
4 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
80
Script, setting, attitude, and especially casting add up to a smart exercise in dark comedy that's never over-the-top funny, but always engaging for its clever details.
FULL REVIEW
70
The film, smoothly directed by David Dobkin, has a neat farcical structure but is too in love with its overly tight-lipped protagonist and deadpan pacing.
By David Edelstein FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 12 User Ratings
7.3
67% Positive
8 Ratings
33% Mixed
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 12 User Ratings
7.3
67% Positive
8 Ratings
33% Mixed
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

63
Within Clay Pigeons is a smaller story that might have involved us more, but it's buried by overkill.
By Roger Ebert FULL REVIEW
60
An OK debut effort, but like so many "Pulp Fiction" wannabes, it lacks freshness and energy.
By John Hartl FULL REVIEW
50
Cold-blooded comedy.
FULL REVIEW
40
Perhaps this will seem fresh and interesting years down the road, when the self-aware-thriller genre has long played out, but for now, it's a tired horse that should have been put down in the pitch meeting.
FULL REVIEW
10
It's never clear, by the way, why any of this is supposed to be even remotely funny...This is the kind of movie asinine enough to believe that the mere juxtaposition of sadistic violence and a jaunty tune on the soundtrack is, in itself, clever.
By Dennis Lim FULL REVIEW
See All 26 Critic Reviews

Details

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Production Company Fade In Films, IMF Internationale Medien und Film GmbH & Co. Produktions KG, Intermedia Films, Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Scott Free Productions
Release Date Sep 25, 1998
Duration 1 h 44 m
Rating R
Genres
Tagline Lester Long never forgets a friend
View All Details

Awards

Casting Society of America, USA
• 1 Nomination

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