Motherless Brooklyn

Name: Motherless Brooklyn
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Crime
Released: November 1, 2019
Duration: 144 min
Rating: 60
Cast: Alec Baldwin, Bobby Cannavale, Bruce Willis, Cherry Jones, Dallas Roberts

2019

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 36 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 128 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 128 Ratings

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Motherless Brooklyn

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. | Release Date: November 1, 2019 | R

Starring: Alec Baldwin, Bobby Cannavale, Bruce Willis, Cherry Jones, Dallas Roberts, Edward Norton, Ethan Suplee, Fisher Stevens, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Josh Pais, Leslie Mann, Michael Kenneth Williams, Willem Dafoe

Summary: Set against the backdrop of 1950s New York, Motherless Brooklyn follows Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton), a lonely private detective living with Tourette Syndrome, as he ventures to solve the murder of his mentor and only friend, Frank Minna (Bruce Willis). Armed only with a few clues and the engine of his obsessive mind, Lionel unravelsSet against the backdrop of 1950s New York, Motherless Brooklyn follows Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton), a lonely private detective living with Tourette Syndrome, as he ventures to solve the murder of his mentor and only friend, Frank Minna (Bruce Willis). Armed only with a few clues and the engine of his obsessive mind, Lionel unravels closely-guarded secrets that hold the fate of the whole city in the balance. In a mystery that carries him from gin-soaked jazz clubs in Harlem to the hard-edged slums of Brooklyn and, finally, into the gilded halls of New York’s power brokers, Lionel contends with thugs, corruption and the most dangerous man in the city to honor his friend and save the woman who might be his own salvation.… Expand

Director: Edward Norton

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 144 min

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Critic Reviews

Alan Ng

Oct 31, 2019

I haven’t seen a crime thriller this good since L.A. Confidential. Read full review

Sara Stewart

Oct 30, 2019

Norton does a humanizing job of explaining Lionel’s unusual brain (he’s got a near-perfect memory) and defusing his outbursts with self-deprecation and humor. Read full review

Oktay Ege Kozak

Nov 12, 2019

Motherless Brooklyn is far from an airtight masterwork like Confidential—it’s too bloated at almost two and a half hours and contains some acting choices that borderline on irritating—but for those looking for a neo-noir that goes down as harshly yet as satisfyingly as Sam Spade’s favorite Bacardi, it’ll deliver. Read full review

Johanna Schneller

Oct 31, 2019

What should have been the trickiest parts of this enterprise – elucidating the warm relationship between Essrog (Norton) and Minna (Bruce Willis), and Essrog’s Tourette syndrome – Norton handles with aplomb. The rest is a murky mess, unnecessarily dense and confusing for two hours, and then in the last 20 minutes, way too obvious. Read full review

Joshua Rothkopf

Nov 1, 2019

Yet it’s rare that we get a movie this municipally minded and Chinatown-ish, and Norton invents new elements with a free hand, including a Harlem turf war, a skittering jazz undercurrent (the music is by Daniel Pemberton) and a love interest in Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Alec Baldwin, playing a powerful urban planner, makes for a ferocious Robert Moses stand-in. Read full review

Justin Chang

Oct 31, 2019

Motherless Brooklyn is the kind of knotty, ambitious, character-rich, politically conscious entertainment the studios so rarely get behind anymore, you can’t help wishing it were better. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Oct 30, 2019

It’s far from the worst movie ever produced, but it’s a one-of-a-kind disaster, and therefore interesting. Read full review

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User Reviews

Jsjnw

Jan 18, 2020

Just a great movie! Great cast, awesome atmosphere. Especially great game by Edward Norton. I advise the film

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GinaK

Nov 7, 2019

A film reminiscent of Roman Polansky’s magnificent noir “Chinatown,” “Motherless Brooklyn” is an interesting and beautifully acted film about political corruption, directed by and starring Edward Norton. Although I found the detective’s Tourette’s Syndrome more distracting and annoying thanA film reminiscent of Roman Polansky’s magnificent noir “Chinatown,” “Motherless Brooklyn” is an interesting and beautifully acted film about political corruption, directed by and starring Edward Norton. Although I found the detective’s Tourette’s Syndrome more distracting and annoying than effective, the plot is well-handled and the supporting cast generally excellent.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

Jerome_Kirby

Nov 1, 2019

Don't look at all those ratings. Those are the bots who try to undermine the film's quality. Be sure - the movie is nice, nearly 9 out of 10. I give it 10 only 'cause some "bad people on the right" decided to bury it and promote Joker instead. That's the truth, though it may sound like aDon't look at all those ratings. Those are the bots who try to undermine the film's quality. Be sure - the movie is nice, nearly 9 out of 10. I give it 10 only 'cause some "bad people on the right" decided to bury it and promote Joker instead. That's the truth, though it may sound like a conspiracy theory at first. Just visit all the user's profiles on this page and check their stats. Everybody is literally the same person who has 14 ratings, who writes only 2 reviews (regarding Motherless Brooklyn and Arctic Dogs), giving the movies mad 'zeroes'. And then, there's Joker, rated by them with 10/10. So.. the conclusion: bots, darn!… Expand

8 of 13 users found this helpful85

eagleeyeviking

Feb 14, 2020

"Motherless Brooklyn" is a relaxing and engaging mystery noir that reinforces Edward Norton as a talent in front and behind the cameras.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

geewah

Nov 3, 2021

In the vain of "Chinatown" and "L.A. Confidential" this P.I. mystery is an enjoyable watch even though at times it is a bit middling and it is a bit bloated.
Norton's performance is central to this movie and he does a great job as the lead Lionel.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

HotelCentral

Aug 16, 2020

Overall, I'd have to say the film is a bit tiresome. It might have done better as a straight detective flick, or as a film delving into a man's mental challenges, but combining the two somehow yields up less than the sum of its parts. Lionel Essrog is an interesting character but shouldOverall, I'd have to say the film is a bit tiresome. It might have done better as a straight detective flick, or as a film delving into a man's mental challenges, but combining the two somehow yields up less than the sum of its parts. Lionel Essrog is an interesting character but should have remained a supporting character. He just doesn't have enough of the right stuff, whatever that might be, to carry the movie on his own.

The plot, of course, doesn't help. It's another corrupt fat cat (ho-hum) steamrolling his way over anyone who opposes him and maybe it's time we consigned fat cats to the genre dung heap. I mean, I'd rather watch a film so tormented that no one, not even Raymond Chandler, can explain it, as long as it's got players like Bogart and Bacall to keep the action entertaining, as in The Big Sleep (1946).

On the other hand, I wouldn't mind getting to see a movie that stuck to the original novel. The author of the original novel described Edward Norton's adaptation by saying, "It’s as if the book was a dream the movie once had and was trying to remember it..."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Ko09iju7

Mar 24, 2020

The opening scene catches your attention, and it slowly dwindles from there. Norton and crew blow on the embers of a worn out agenda. But the fires already gone. The jazz breaks, offer a dreamy state to the movie, and Baldwin's performance offers time for a bathroom break. The movie feelsThe opening scene catches your attention, and it slowly dwindles from there. Norton and crew blow on the embers of a worn out agenda. But the fires already gone. The jazz breaks, offer a dreamy state to the movie, and Baldwin's performance offers time for a bathroom break. The movie feels about 30 minutes too long.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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