X
  • 2014
  • PG-13
  • Drafthouse Films
  • 1 h 42 m
  • 2014
  • PG-13
  • Drafthouse Films
  • 1 h 42 m

Summary In the tiny town of Williston, North Dakota, tens of thousands of unemployed hopefuls show up with dreams of honest work and a big paycheck under the lure of the oil boom. However, busloads of newcomers chasing a broken American Dream step into the stark reality of slim work prospects and nowhere to sleep. The town lacks the infrastructu...

Directed By: Jesse Moss

Written By: Jesse Moss

  • 2014
  • PG-13
  • Drafthouse Films
  • 1 h 42 m
  • 2014
  • PG-13
  • Drafthouse Films
  • 1 h 42 m

The Overnighters

Metascore Universal Acclaim Based on 20 Critic Reviews
must-see
89
User Score Generally Favorable Based on 14 User Ratings
7.5
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

Summary In the tiny town of Williston, North Dakota, tens of thousands of unemployed hopefuls show up with dreams of honest work and a big paycheck under the lure of the oil boom. However, busloads of newcomers chasing a broken American Dream step into the stark reality of slim work prospects and nowhere to sleep. The town lacks the infrastructu...

Directed By: Jesse Moss

Written By: Jesse Moss

Where to Watch

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 20 Critic Reviews
89
100% Positive
20 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

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

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 20 Critic Reviews
89
100% Positive
20 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
100
Nov 6, 2014
Through patience, skill, discretion, and trust, Jesse Moss has taken a seemingly small town story and turned it into both a microcosm of today’s most urgent issues and a portrait of a single suffering soul.
By Peter Keough FULL REVIEW
100
Jan 27, 2014
At first galvanizing in its depiction of survival amid dire circumstances, "The Overnighters" transforms into a devastating portrait of communal unrest.
By Eric Kohn FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 14 User Ratings
7.5
79% Positive
11 Ratings
7% Mixed
1 Rating
14% Negative
2 Ratings

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

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 14 User Ratings
7.5
79% Positive
11 Ratings
7% Mixed
1 Rating
14% Negative
2 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
10
Prosmooth
Feb 10, 2015
How Christian is too Christian? At what point does being a good person stop--and being reckless start? These are a couple of questions that Jesse Moss' new documentary asks. To its credit--I don't think it really tries to answer them. These are questions that we each must answer in our own heart. A Lutheran Pastor in the film named Jay Reinke opens up his life, his home, and his family to the camera and it's our job to just watch and ponder for ourselves. It's also a brutal film about an America that isn't quite sure who it is at its core. One of the best documentaries ever made in my opinion.
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9
EpicLadySponge
May 3, 2016
The Overnighters is another experience to take home and then bring it everywhere you go so you can make everyone you see watch how great this film is.
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91
Jan 27, 2014
The Overnighters is starkly bleak and devastatingly humane, and an indelible American documentary.
By Katie Walsh FULL REVIEW
90
Jan 27, 2014
The film is non-fiction storytelling of remarkable nuance.
By David Rooney FULL REVIEW
88
Nov 13, 2014
A rich and troubling documentary highlight of the year.
By Michael Phillips FULL REVIEW
80
Oct 28, 2014
The film’s unwillingness to judge either the decent yet doubt-wracked pastor, or the damaged souls seeking a new start, effectively draws us in to a whole cluster of gnarly dilemmas, where humane intentions prove counter-productive and the truth only makes matters worse.
By Trevor Johnston FULL REVIEW
63
Oct 5, 2014
If it ultimately can't reconcile all that's presented in its too-brief runtime, that's largely because its situation, much like the dissonance between those involved, is comprehensibly irresolvable.
By Clayton Dillard FULL REVIEW
See All 20 Critic Reviews
9
genae
Nov 11, 2014
I saw this film at Telluride Mountainfilm Festival. It's one of the best verite documentaries I've ever seen. It's deep, touches more than a few cultural issues elements, and is extremely timely in its message. Loved it.
Report
2
Kboy
Oct 22, 2014
[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
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See All 4 User Reviews

Details

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Production Company Mile End Films West
Release Date Oct 10, 2014
Duration 1 h 42 m
Rating PG-13
Genres
Tagline Doesn't everyone deserve a second chance?
Website http://www.jessemoss.com/
View All Details

Awards

Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations
Sundance Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination

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