1978
R
Universal Pictures
1 h 54 m

1978
R
Universal Pictures
1 h 54 m

Summary Three workers, Zeke (Richard Pryor), Jerry (Harvey Keitel), and Smokey (Yaphet Kotto), are working at a car plant and drinking their beers together. One night, when they steal away from their wives to have some fun, they get the idea to rob the local union's bureau safe. First they think it is a flop, because they get only six hundred do...

Directed By: Paul Schrader

Written By: Leonard Schrader, Sydney A. Glass, Paul Schrader

1978
R
Universal Pictures
1 h 54 m

1978
R
Universal Pictures
1 h 54 m

Blue Collar

Name: Blue Collar
Genre: Crime, Drama
Released: 1978-02-10
Duration: 1 min 54 s
Rating: 77
Cast: Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto, Ed Begley Jr., Harry Bellaver

Metascore Generally Favorable Based on 12 Critic Reviews

User Score Generally Favorable Based on 11 User Ratings

7.2

My Score

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Where to Watch

Directed By: Paul Schrader

Written By: Leonard Schrader, Sydney A. Glass, Paul Schrader

Where to Watch

Critic Reviews

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Metascore

Generally Favorable Based on 12 Critic Reviews

83% Positive
10 Reviews

17% Mixed
2 Reviews

0% Negative
0 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

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Metascore

Generally Favorable Based on 12 Critic Reviews

83% Positive
10 Reviews

17% Mixed
2 Reviews

0% Negative
0 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

100

IndieWire

Pryor’s best film and his best performance and that’s not taking anything anyway from his co-stars Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto.

FULL REVIEW

100

Chicago Sun-Times

It is an angry, radical movie about the vise that traps workers between big industry and big labor. It's also an enormously entertaining movie; it earns its comparison with On the Waterfront. And it's an extraordinary directing debut for Paul Schrader, whose credits include Taxi Driver and Rolling Thunder.

By Roger Ebert FULL REVIEW

The A.V. Club

Pryor has a lot of funny moments in Blue Collar, especially in the first half or so, when the movie tends toward angry comedy.

By Jesse Hassenger FULL REVIEW

Time Out

Very probably the most clear-sighted movie ever made about the ways that shopfloor workers get f.cked over by the system.

FULL REVIEW

TV Guide Magazine

The three leads--particularly Pryor, in an essentially non-comedic role--are remarkable.

FULL REVIEW

Washington Post

Like the Dustin Hoffman film Straight Time, Schrader's picture sustains a certain interest despite its faults. You stick with both movies because of the promise of something authentic and tragically revealing, even though the promise is never fulfilled. These films don't really work, but they're the sort of films that don't work in interesting ways. [24 Mar 1978, p.D1]

By Gary Arnold FULL REVIEW

The New York Times

Is Blue Collar an action film or a meditation upon the American Dream? I suspect it wants to be both though it's not very serious at being either.

By Vincent Canby FULL REVIEW

See All 12 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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User Score

Generally Favorable Based on 11 User Ratings

7.2

64% Positive
7 Ratings

36% Mixed
4 Ratings

0% Negative
0 Ratings

User Reviews

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User Score

Generally Favorable Based on 11 User Ratings

7.2

64% Positive
7 Ratings

36% Mixed
4 Ratings

0% Negative
0 Ratings

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

Details

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Production Company TAT Communications Company

Release Date Feb 10, 1978

Duration 1 h 54 m

Rating R

Genres

Tagline The company builds cars and destroys men.

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Awards

Valladolid International Film Festival

• 1 Win & 2 Nominations

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

• 1 Nomination

Blue Collar

Where to Watch

Where to Watch

Top Cast

Richard Pryor

Zeke

Harvey Keitel

Jerry

Yaphet Kotto

Smokey

Ed Begley Jr.

Bobby Joe

Harry Bellaver

Eddie Johnson

George Memmoli

Jenkins

Lucy Saroyan

Arlene Bartowski

Lane Smith

Clarence Hill

Cliff De Young

John Burrows

Borah Silver

Dogshit Miller

Chip Fields

Caroline Brown

Harry Northup

Hank

Leonard Gaines

I.R.S. Man

Milton Selzer

Sumabitch

Sammy Warren

Barney

Jimmy Martinez

Charlie T. Hernandez

Jerry Dahlmann

Superintendent

Denny Arnold

Unshaven Thug

Rock Riddle

Blond Thug

Stacey Baldwin

Debby Bartowski

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

User Reviews

User Reviews

User Reviews

User Reviews

Details

Details

Awards

Awards

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