Trumbo

Name: Trumbo
Genre: Biography, Drama
Released: November 6, 2015
Duration: 124 min
Rating: 60
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, Louis C.K., Michael Stuhlbarg

2015

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 156 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 156 Ratings

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Trumbo

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Movie Details & Credits

Bleecker Street Media | Release Date: November 6, 2015 | R

Starring: Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, Louis C.K., Michael Stuhlbarg

Summary: The successful career of 1940s screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) comes to a crushing end when he and other Hollywood figures are blacklisted for their political beliefs.

Director: Jay Roach

Genre(s): Biography, Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 124 min

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Critic Reviews

Lou Lumenick

Nov 4, 2015

Bryan Cranston finally translates his critical acclaim for “Breaking Bad” into an Oscar-caliber performance in darkly comic Trumbo, playing an eloquent, witty screenwriter who bucked the Hollywood blacklist and triumphed. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Nov 11, 2015

Trumbo is a warm and witty profile in courage. Read full review

Ty Burr

Nov 19, 2015

Cranston’s performance is the motor that runs Trumbo, and that motor never idles, never flags in momentum or magnetism or idealistic scorn. At its entertaining worst, the movie’s a high-spirited game of Hollywood dress-up. Read full review

Tasha Robinson

Nov 4, 2015

Trumbo’s writing was so terrific, the film emphasizes, that it outweighed his caustic personality, his unfashionable politics, and the career-threatening dangers of working with him. Read full review

Empire Dan Jolin

Feb 1, 2016

It feels terrestrial rather than cinematic, but the joy of Trumbo is in the heroism of its subject and an amazing performance from Cranston. Read full review

Peter Debruge

Sep 16, 2015

Trumbo may be clumsy and overly simplistic at times, but it’s still an important reminder of how democracy can fail (that is, when a fervent majority turns on those with different and potentially threatening values), and the strength of character it takes to fight the system. Read full review

Joe McGovern

Nov 9, 2015

How could a movie about a great screenwriter have such a terrible screenplay? Read full review

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User Reviews

nj06

Nov 11, 2015

Interesting and entertaining movie from start to finish. Cranston is superb, as is the rest of the cast. Excellent (but not annoying an preechy) insight into a turbulent era in the American history. Appropriate for thoughtful audience including young adults. R rating is way to harsh forInteresting and entertaining movie from start to finish. Cranston is superb, as is the rest of the cast. Excellent (but not annoying an preechy) insight into a turbulent era in the American history. Appropriate for thoughtful audience including young adults. R rating is way to harsh for this film.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

Scraper

Jun 1, 2020

An absolute brilliant piece of acting by Cranston and Stuhlbarg is about as rock solid a performer as you can find these days. Trumbo translated the struggle of the period perfectly. I have no idea where the reviews claiming it was an iffy script with spotty performances. I thought it wasAn absolute brilliant piece of acting by Cranston and Stuhlbarg is about as rock solid a performer as you can find these days. Trumbo translated the struggle of the period perfectly. I have no idea where the reviews claiming it was an iffy script with spotty performances. I thought it was the exact opposite. Terribly underrated picture.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

BHBarry

Nov 9, 2015

"Trumbo" is a bio-pic depicting the life and travails of Dalton Trumbo, one of the blacklisted Hollywood writers in the post war cold war era where the members of the House Unamerican Activities Committee and the infamous Senator from Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy, heaped their venom on the"Trumbo" is a bio-pic depicting the life and travails of Dalton Trumbo, one of the blacklisted Hollywood writers in the post war cold war era where the members of the House Unamerican Activities Committee and the infamous Senator from Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy, heaped their venom on the constitutional rights of this nation’s citizens. Based on the book by Bruce Cook with a screenplay written by John McNamara, the film was directed by Jay Roach. Bryan Cranston plays the title role and Diane Lane, his wife, Cleo, with Michael Stuhlberg portraying noted actor, Edward G. Robinson. Helen Mirren is a convincing Hedda Hopper and Louis C.K ably assists in the film thus proving once again that a good comedy actor can play any serious role (although the converse is not always true). Mr. Trumbo’s story, a successful writer who, because of the blacklist, was forced to write using "fronts" (i.e. fictitious names instead of those of the real author). This is a film that teaches how to overcome obstacles and the economic and emotional stresses imposed upon those whose only crime it would appear was to attempt to preserve their respective rights of privacy and independence. Intermixed in the film are clips from newsreels and the hearings that took place at the time giving added credibility and relevance to the events that I’m sure so many involved would like to forget Mr. Trumbo, noted for screenplays ranging from "Kitty Foyle", "Roman Holiday" and "Spartacus" perhaps said s it best when he recalled this difficult era in a speech to the Writers Guild of America and noted that "there were no heroes or villains in this troubling time, only victims". Although many of us lived through this era and time and can remember the incredulous abuses heaped upon artists, teachers and so many others, there are those of later generations who do not. It is for them as well as for us to be made aware and to be reminded of what took place. I give the film an 8.0 and urge that it be seen by all who cherish freedom, justice and the indomitable spirit to survive.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

tvnewsguido

Dec 27, 2015

It's not great but it is good.

The performances are fine and the story is a good one but the film lacks genuine emotion. I didn't feel much of anything for the characters. Trumbo was such a "bigger than life" character that everyone else's story is overshadowed by Cranston'sIt's not great but it is good.

The performances are fine and the story is a good one but the film lacks genuine emotion. I didn't feel much of anything for the characters.

Trumbo was such a "bigger than life" character that everyone else's story is overshadowed by Cranston's performance.

This period in American History is important and the horror should be repeated to each generation. I just hope the next picture to bring it up drives home some true feelings that can resonate with the audience.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DanBurrito

Sep 2, 2016

It isn't perfect, but Trumbo manages to do it's fascinating true story justice with an engaging narrative and a fantastic performance from Bryan Cranston. The supporting cast also shine, with entertaining turns from Helen Mirren and John Goodman. The score was fantastic. It might be one ofIt isn't perfect, but Trumbo manages to do it's fascinating true story justice with an engaging narrative and a fantastic performance from Bryan Cranston. The supporting cast also shine, with entertaining turns from Helen Mirren and John Goodman. The score was fantastic. It might be one of the best scores of the last couple of years. There were a few flaws- certain parts of it felt somewhat like parts of a TV movie, and it could have gone into more detail about Trumbo's plight. Nonetheless, Trumbo is an interesting film that's both entertaining and educational- and honours its subject with a solid script and strong performances. 7/10.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

CaptRedBeard

Jan 7, 2016

Post-WW2 Hollywood; American Capitalist ideals strongly oppose that of the American Communist Party. Top Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (here portrayed by Bryan Cranston), an outspoken member of said party, struggles to maintain his career, his family life, and even the safety of hisPost-WW2 Hollywood; American Capitalist ideals strongly oppose that of the American Communist Party. Top Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (here portrayed by Bryan Cranston), an outspoken member of said party, struggles to maintain his career, his family life, and even the safety of his own identity in this turbulent tale of sordid scrutiny and political upheaval, thinly veiled by Hollywood's 'Golden Age'.

With a resume that includes such comedies as "Meet the Parents" [2000] and the "Austin Powers" series, this is not necessarily a story you'd expect director Jay Roach to tackle. Based on the biography by Bruce Cook, John McNamara's script doesn't necessarily focus on Trumbo's life, rather the effect that his blacklisting, incarceration and professional struggles have on his family and friends. On paper, these are the ingredients for a meaty, challenging narrative that speaks across generations, but at times it seems as if Roach is so distracted by the fact he's shooting a period piece that the audience is reliant on strong central performances to carry them through what feels like a somewhat exhaustive two-hour runtime. With sideline impersonations of silver screen democrats such as John Wayne (David James Elliott) and Edward G. Robinson (Michael Stuhlbarg), that are at times questionable, one must ask,"'is this director trying to break out of his mould?" "Trumbo" certainly helps to answer this question but it does not provide a clean break. For much of its length, it's played too straight to be a comedy, but at the same time not necessarily moving or impacting enough as it should be, especially given the focus it has on Dalton Trumbo as a man and as a character. Audiences who do not view this film in a cinema may be fighting temptation to start playing with their iPhones as the film plods along with no clear dramatic arc. Still, with terrific performances from Cranston (who does well to break away from his 'Heisenberg' persona), Diane Lane as his worrisome wife, and Helen Mirren as antagonistic Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper, the film has all the ingredients of an Academy Award contender, but falls short in its contemporary societal impact and relevance. Consequently, this film will most likely be enjoyed by fans of Cranston's work, and film-going audiences who already have some knowledge of the people, places, and events depicted. As far as performances are concerned, special mention should also given to Louis C.K. in a dramatic turn with the "big drama dogs"; a skilful move as Oscar time nears.Some wonderfully reserved and rough-edged performances, a fascinating story (to the right audience), and some tastefully wicked humour to boot, "Trumbo" is compelling enough, though a little overstated and slightly underwhelming. Narratively, it is engaging, but not particularly focussed, as Cranston's protagonist seems the only common thread at times.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

KR1527

Jul 15, 2016

Boring boring boring. Just could not get into this movie. Did I say that it was boring and slow? Too bad because the cast of actors is actually pretty good.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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