Advanced Search >
Help Me Search

DVD

Upcoming Release Calendar
Film Awards & Top 10s By Year
All-Time High Scores
All-Time Low Scores

Recent DVD/Video Releases

sort by namesort by score

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Traveller

EMAILPRINTOctober Films

Traveller reviews
57
N/A User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 20 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 0 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >

Movie Info

Genre(s): Crime  |  Drama

Written by: Jim McGlynn

Directed by: Jack N. Green

Release Date:
Theatrical: April 18, 1997
DVD: July 25, 2000

Running Time: 101 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: R for strong language and violence

Starring Bill Paxton, Mark Wahlberg, and Julianna Margulies

Bokky (Paxton) shows Pat (Wahlberg) the ropes of being a Traveller - a nomadic clan of Irish-American con artists. Bokky begins doubting their lifestyle when he falls for Jean (Margulies), one of their intended victims.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

80

Variety Emanuel Levy

The film shrewdly humanizes its protagonists to the point where the audience forgets their identity and roots for them to succeed - and survive.

Read Full Review >
75

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

The screenplay by Jim McGlynn, which plays a little like something Eastwood might have made, is subtle and observant; there aren't big plot points, but lots of little ones, and the plot allows us the delight of figuring out the scams. [25 Apr 1997]

75

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

This fresh and interesting story about a tight-knit clan of Irish grifters in the rural South who make their living scamming is a ''con men on the road'' picture all the more welcome during a season of junky action thrillers and indie-style explorations of kinky sex.

Read Full Review >
75

ReelViews James Berardinelli

The script is smart and sneaky - by never telling the audience more than is necessary, it develops a keen sense of suspense that persists until the gritty final reel.

Read Full Review >
75

TV Guide Staff (Not Credited)

Paxton (who also produced) and Marguiles turn in fine, affecting performances, Wahlberg is better than you might expect, and the story is powered by a knock-out soundtrack.

Read Full Review >
70

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

The subject's nice - a clan of Irish con artists operating in the rural south - but the movie breaks down into separate pieces, some fresher than others, without much cumulative force.

Read Full Review >
70

Washington Post Richard Harrington

Green proves adept at capturing the quiet intensity and peculiar rhythms of Traveller culture.

Read Full Review >
67

Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten

Green wisely gives his actors lots of room to work, all the while putting the emphasis on the characters and their relationships instead of the blurry hokum of the narrative threads.

Read Full Review >
63

Boston Globe Jay Carr

Traveller is a little too rosy and pat, but it clambers its way to entertainment value all the same. [2 May 1997]

63

Chicago Tribune John Petrakis

Traveller is a low-key, intelligent examination of some fascinating people who must do plenty of fast talking just to survive. [25 Apr 1997]

63

San Francisco Examiner Barbara Shulgasser

Directing his first movie, Jack Green, cinematographer on several Clint Eastwood films, shows an ease with the material (written by Jim McGlynn), but there's something a bit dull about the movie.

Read Full Review >
60

The New York Times Janet Maslin

Traveller is just a hot little sleeper with strong characters and a story to tell.

Read Full Review >
60

LA Weekly Ernest Hardy

It's fine acting of - and chemistry - between Paxton, Margulies and Mark Wahlberg that gives this film (written by Jim McGlynn, directed by Jack Green) its kick.

58

Baltimore Sun Michael Ollove

The narrative is engrossing enough, but it diverts from what is strongest about Traveller, its title characters. [2 May 1997]

50

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

Traveller is entertaining in a mild, relaxing way.

Read Full Review >
50

Los Angeles Times John Anderson

The cast is really fine, but the script requires a lot of hard swallowing. The story moves along briskly and colorfully but gets further and further from the intimate atmosphere that initially makes it so appealing. [25 Apr 1997]

42

Portland Oregonian Tim Appelo

Traveller does pass the time painlessly, and it isn't aggressively stupid or hateful, like about half the movies Hollywood makes nowadays. But someone must have stolen its engine - this film has no narrative drive. [p May 1997]

40

Dallas Observer Peter Rainer

[The movie's subject] sounds like great movie material, but the film, except in flashes, doesn't do it justice.

Read Full Review >
40

Empire Staff (Not Credited)

With such strong acting support from Paxton and Margulies, Green could have produced a dynamic drama. With muddled characterisation, a slight script and an over-the-top ending, it emerges as an ill-conceived attempt to make a thriller out of almost nothing.

Read Full Review >
30

Village Voice Amy Taubin

The movie lacks any sense of subcultural specificity, though it has a superabundant country music score. [22 Apr 1997]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 0.0 (out of 10) based on 0 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Popular on CBS sites: SEC Football | NFL | Video Game Cheats | iPhone | Video Game Reviews | Notebooks | Antivirus Software

About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use