Thirteen Days
Metascore
67 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 31
  3. Negative: 2 out of 31
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  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Mick LaSalle
    100
    Fascinating in its depiction of presidential leadership in action.
  2. Baltimore Sun
    Reviewed by: Chris Kaltenbach
    100
    A terrifically engrossing war film in which not a single shot is fired, a movie about shaping events rather than being shaped by them.
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  3. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    91
    A big, square, rousing political thriller docudrama.
  4. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    Reviewed by: William Arnold
    91
    A mesmerizingly suspenseful drama.
  5. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Jami Bernard
    88
    An excellent movie about a real-life nail-biter, forcefully acted, true to its period and directed with clarity.
  6. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: Shawn Levy
    83
    One of the most exciting American movies about recent political history since, ironically, Oliver Stone's "JFK."

User Reviews

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User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 24 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. A_Northerner
    8
    Led by strong performances by Greenwood and Culp, Thirteen Days is an interesting and taught political drama, even if the final outcome is known to all (hint we weren't all incinerated by mutual nuclear destruction). In addition to the Kennedy administration, the narrative covers the roles of both the military and US UN representatives in the crisis. I've always thought that the roles of military personnel in movies is clichéd in the manner they always push for war, but seeing as this film depicts actual events (according to the source book) it turns out that that is actually the case. In fact, in this case the military chiefs repeatedly undermine JFK's restrained by not cancelling a planned atom bomb test or spy flights close to the Soviet Union.

    The script faithfully recreates actual speeches given by JFK during the crisis, 'not merely peace in our time but peace for all time' and both Greenwood and Culp accurately nail the Boston Irish accent of the Kennedy family. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the film's lead and producer, Kevin Costner. His accent veers from credible to laughable to non-existent during the film and his failings are only highlighted by his co-stars' performances.    … Full Review »
  2. Compi24
    7
    Even with its occasional stylistic missteps and pacing issues, "Thirteen Days" still grips the audience and solidly establishes its worth as a tense and morally complex political period drama.… Full Review »
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