Entertainment
10 Greatest R-Rated Mystery Movies
R-rated mystery movies have room to be uglier about the truth. They can follow obsession into places a safer movie would soften, and they can let violence, sex, grief, corruption, and psychological damage sit on the screen without cleaning the edges for comfort.
And my favorite ones? They do more than ask who did it. They make the search itself feel dangerous. A clue can ruin someone. A missing person can expose a whole rotten system. A detective can solve the case and still lose something that was holding him together.
10
‘Shutter Island’ (2010)
The fog, the ferry, and that first look at Ashecliffe already tells you nobody is walking into a normal investigation here. Shutter Island gives us U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) arriving at a remote hospital for the criminally insane to find a missing patient, with his new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) following him through locked wards, hostile doctors, storm warnings, and a place that seems designed to keep secrets alive.
What makes the mystery so addictive is how closely it stays tied to Teddy’s grief. He is not just chasing Rachel Solando. He is chasing a version of reality where his pain still has an enemy he can fight. The Dachau memories, the dreams of Dolores, the lighthouse, the repeated questions about patient files, and Ben Kingsley’s calm control as Dr. Cawley keep tightening the island around him. And at the end, the movie flips the whole script onto you. It makes you feel like the whole movie was a lie. Shutter Island leaves you trapped with Teddy’s last choice, and that choice keeps arguing in your head. I won’t lie — this film becomes annoying once it ends.
9
‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (2011)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo follows Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) as a hacker and investigator hired to look into journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), who later joins her in reopening the decades-old disappearance of Harriet Vanger, a young woman from a wealthy Swedish family full of money, cruelty, and buried sickness.
The case pulls them into family photos, Bible verses, old business records, Nazi history, sexual violence, and a house full of people who have learned how to live around a missing girl. Mikael is such a grounded, bruised curiosity character but Lisbeth is the reason the movie burns. Her revenge against her abusive guardian is hard to watch, yet it tells you exactly why she recognizes predators so quickly. That’s amazing. The mystery has a procedure. The emotional charge comes from Lisbeth cutting through powerful men who assumed fear would keep everyone quiet. Every clue feels colder because this world has been protecting monsters politely for years.
8
‘The Usual Suspects’ (1995)
The Usual Suspects begins after a massacre on a ship, with small-time con man Roger “Verbal” Kint (Kevin Spacey) sitting with federal agent Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) and explaining how he, Keaton, McManus, Fenster, and Hockney got pulled into the orbit of Keyser Söze, a criminal name spoken like a ghost story by men who are not easily scared. A room full of criminals telling stories should not feel this slippery, but that is the whole thrill.
The pleasure is in how the movie turns narration into a trap. Verbal looks weak, nervous, and cornered, so the audience starts leaning toward him before realizing the story has been arranging itself too neatly. Keaton’s haunted reputation, Kobayashi’s threats, the lineup scene, the Redfoot job, the Hungarian survivor, and the office details behind Kujan all become part of the game. The mystery is not only Keyser Söze’s identity. It is whether a listener can protect himself from a good story once he wants the story to make sense.
7
‘Gone Girl’ (2014)
Gone Girl is nasty and the nastiest trick here is how quickly a missing-wife case turns into a public performance. Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) comes home on his fifth wedding anniversary and finds Amy (Rosamund Pike) gone, with the house staged badly enough to make him look suspicious. Police start circling. Cable news smells blood. Neighbors watch him like a man who forgot which face grief requires.
Then Amy’s voice takes control, and the whole movie reveals a marriage where both people understand image better than intimacy. Nick is selfish, smug, and sloppy, which makes him perfect prey for a woman who plans with terrifying patience. Amy’s diary, the treasure hunt, the pregnancy reveal, Desi’s lake house, the blood on her return home, and that dead-eyed press conference all twist domestic life into theater. The R-rated edge is crucial here because otherwise this film would’ve never hit as hard as it does. This mystery is about bodies as evidence, marriage as leverage, and media as a weapon. It is funny in the most poisonous way, which is exactly why it still feels dangerous.
6
‘Prisoners’ (2013)
Few modern thrillers make desperation feel as heavy as Prisoners. Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) is a Pennsylvania father whose young daughter Anna disappears with her friend Joy on Thanksgiving, and the investigation quickly centers on Alex Jones (Paul Dano), a mentally impaired man who was driving a suspicious RV. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) takes the official path, following evidence, suspects, and buried connections, while Keller decides the law is moving too slowly for a parent running out of hope and goes full Liam Neeson Taken on it.
The film’s grip comes from how every choice feels uglier than the last. Keller’s decision to imprison and torture Alex is horrifying, yet the character keeps the pain close enough that the viewer understands the emotional trap without being asked to approve it. Loki’s blinking intensity, the rainy streets, the maze drawings, the priest’s basement, and that final whistle all keep the movie tightening from different directions. The title is perfect too, since almost everyone here is trapped by something: grief, guilt, faith, violence, or the need to believe suffering can force truth out of the dark.
5
‘Blue Velvet’ (1986)
Blue Velvet follows Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) as a college student back in his small hometown after his father’s stroke, where his curiosity leads him toward lounge singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini), violent criminal Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper), and a hidden world sitting right underneath white fences and friendly daytime streets. Finding a severed ear in the grass is such a simple nightmare image, and it sends Jeffrey into a version of suburbia he was never supposed to see.
The mystery has a strange pull because Jeffrey is not a noble detective but curious, aroused, frightened male, and fascinated by the darkness he keeps pretending to investigate from a safe distance. Dorothy’s pain gives the story its human ache, while Frank turns every room he enters into a threat. The closet scene, the nightclub song, the joyride, the oxygen mask, the police connections, and the artificial brightness of Lumberton all feel connected by one awful idea.
4
‘Zodiac’ (2007)
The scariest thing about Zodiac is how much time it has. The film follows the hunt for the Zodiac Killer through journalists, detectives, letters, codes, false leads, and years of obsession that grind people down without giving them the clean release of certainty. Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) begins as a cartoonist at the San Francisco Chronicle, Inspector Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) carries the police side with style and frustration, and reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.) gets pulled into the killer’s orbit and starts unraveling in public.
This is a thriller where the monster’s power comes from absence. The lake attack, the cab murder, the newsroom letter openings, the basement scene with the movie posters, and Graysmith’s final stare at Arthur Leigh Allen all hit differently because the movie never turns obsession into easy heroism. It shows how a case can become a life, then eat that life year by year. The pacing feels hypnotic because the viewer becomes part of the same hunger. You want the answer. The film understands the cost of wanting it too badly.
3
‘Memento’ (2000)
Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) cannot make new memories, which means the movie turns the mystery into a condition instead of a puzzle. Memento’s premise circles him. His wife was attacked, he believes the killer is still out there, and he uses Polaroids, tattoos, notes, and routines to keep himself pointed toward revenge. The cruel part is that every system he trusts can be manipulated by the next person who understands his damage.
Watching him move through Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss), motel rooms, license plates, and fragments of the Sammy Jankis’s (Stephen Tobolowsky) story feels like being trapped inside broken momentum. Then the whole backwards structure is not a gimmick sitting on top of the story either. It gives the viewer a taste of his panic. You keep grabbing for context at the same time he does, then the movie quietly asks whether identity can survive when memory becomes something you edit to keep going.
2
‘Se7en’ (1995)
By the time detectives Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and Mills (Brad Pitt) step into the first crime scene, the city already feels diseased. Se7en gives them a killer staging murders around the seven deadly sins, and the structure could have been gimmicky in weaker hands. Here, it becomes a march through moral decay.
Every murder scene expands the nightmare. Gluttony is disgusting. Greed is staged like judgment. Sloth is one of the most horrifying reveals in ’90s cinema. Lust feels almost unbearable through what it implies. The library research, the rain, the apartment chase, the killer turning himself in, and that empty desert road all keep moving toward dread instead of surprise alone. Somerset understands the world’s rot too well, while Mills still believes anger can meet evil head-on and win. The box lands with such force because the film has spent the entire runtime preparing a trap made from temperament. The ending hurts as character, not only twist.
1
‘Chinatown’ (1974)
Private detective Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) thinks he is working a clean adultery job, and that is the tragedy before he even understands it. Chinatown begins with him being hired to photograph Hollis Mulwray, the chief engineer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, then realizing he has been used in a setup tied to water rights, land fraud, political power, and one of the most damaged family secrets in American cinema.
Jake is smart enough to keep digging and vain enough to believe digging will give him control. Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) moves through the story like someone trying to hide pain from a man who keeps mistaking secrecy for guilt. Noah Cross (John Huston) brings a kind of evil that feels calm because the world has already made room for him. The broken glasses, the orange groves, the dried riverbed, the nose-slitting warning, and Evelyn’s desperate attempt to protect Katherine all keep pushing Jake toward a truth he cannot fix. That is why the movie still feels enormous. The mystery gets solved, and justice still slips away in the street.
Chinatown
- Release Date
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June 20, 1974
- Runtime
-
130 minutes
- Director
-
Roman Polanski
- Writers
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Robert Towne
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Mariel Molino is pulling back the curtain on her creative process, revealing how she cut the tension before kissing her NCIS: Origins costar Austin Stowell.
“I was like a giddy little 13-year-old, and I think we were all nervous because it’s been so much leading up to this moment,” Molino, 33, exclusively told Us Weekly while walking the 2026 Tony Awards red carpet. “It’s been, like, two years, and then the final moment of season 2, we finally kiss, and I think everyone – including myself, Austin and the rest of the crew — were all nervous. It’s like the first day of camp!”
For the uninitiated, on the May 5 episode of the NCIS prequel, the Camp Pendleton office was in danger of being shut down. In an effort to save the office, members of the team considered different future possibilities, including Lala (Molino) who weighed a potential move to be closer to Manny. Her contemplation took Gibbs (Stowell) by surprise.
In the episode’s final scene, Gibbs arrived at Lala’s house, where they finally shared a kiss.
The biggest stars on Broadway traded the stage for the red carpet at the 2026 Tony Awards. Host Pink joined the 79th annual awards show’s nominees, presenters and performers at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the Sunday, June 7, event. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your […]
“In the foreseeable future, we can enjoy the ride a little bit and see what happens,” Molino previously teased to Us regarding her character’s budding romance. “Romantically, I would say, however, that I know the writers love a curveball.”
While taking in the 2026 Tony Awards on Sunday, Molino revealed how she got over those pre-kiss nerves with Stowell, 41.
“Oh, we both went out and had a cigarette and a Diet coke,” she said, laughing. “A cigarette and a fridge cigarette, that’s what we did. We were like, ‘Ok, this is happening, we need to, like, cut the tension here real quick.’ And then it was great. You can see it for yourself.”
Now that she has an on-screen kiss with a fellow cast member under her belt, Molino is also sharing with Us what she hopes to achieve next in her acting career.
“OK, so I got my first fight this year, which is a first for me,” she said. “I’d never done such a complicated action scene, but next year I want, like, a knife fight. Like, I want to pull out a knife from some corner of my body that you don’t see, and I want to just, like, have a knife fight.”
As for her onscreen character, Molino told Us she simply hopes Lala will have some “fun” in the upcoming season.
“She’s been through so much that I’m hoping that this next chapter in season 3 just gives her and Gibbs a very fun romantic dynamic, where maybe they’re, you know, trying to hide their relationship because it’s like, you know, will they, won’t they?”
She added, “We finally do, but they know we’re coworkers! So it’s kind of, like, not the best look. So I’m hoping to see that maybe we’re getting to hide in little closets and just make it, like, a torrid affair.”
Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for The Vampire Lestat Episode 1.
It’s officially my favorite time of year: the moment we reiterate how Interview with the Vampire isn’t only a masterpiece of Gothic character drama, but one of the 21st century’s best television shows, full-stop. I’ve held this stance since the AMC series first premiered in 2022, and Season 3’s first episode shows no indication I should change my tune. Overall, the third season of showrunner Rolin Jones‘ adaptation of Anne Rice‘s The Vampire Chronicles novels marks a crucial turning point — not a rejection of its established identity, but a reframing that injects even more nuance into an already complex ensemble.
Jones has taken his cues from Rice’s 1985 sequel book The Vampire Lestat, from retitling the third season to match and switching perspectives from the original unreliable narrator Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) to Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) — the toxic love of Louis’ life and an equally unreliable storyteller in his unique, theatrical way. Compared to the meditative and mournful tone that defines the first two seasons, Episode 1, “Detroit,” written by Jones and Hannah Moscovitch and directed by Craig Zisk, is as uproariously electrifying, tantalizing, and painful as you’d expect for a non-linear ride through the eponymous protagonist’s damaged psyche.
Lestat Kicks Off a Chaotic Tour in ‘The Vampire Lestat’ Episode 1
After a psychedelic new title sequence set to one of series composer Daniel Hart‘s original songs, “Detroit” opens not with guts and gore, but at a somber, posthumous auction of Lestat’s most prized items. Attendees include the wealthy elite, an official representative from the Vatican (Carlo Adamo), Raglan James (Justin Kirk) of the Talamasca, Armand (Assad Zaman) wearing an eyepatch over his wounded left eye, and Louis, who now walks with a cane to assist his prosthetic left leg. The auctioneer (David Patrick Flemming) opens the bidding for an elaborate “music box” complete with speakers, wine, blood, vinyl pressings, and a series of audio recordings called “The Failures.” His notes describe the latter as “an omniscient history of the events of [Lestat’s] 2025 album and supporting tour and the consequential global catastrophes that sprung from said album and tour, as narrated by said the Vampire Lestat himself.”
As the bidding starts in earnest, with Armand and Louis exchanging small smirks as they repeatedly outbid each other, Lestat’s voiceover launches the story back into the spring of 2025. Said vampire and his four human band members — Larry (Noah Reid), the jealous lead guitarist, his “more talented” brother Alex (Seamus Patterson), bassist Salamander (Ryan Kattner), and TC (Sarah Swire), the foul-mouthed drummer — have embarked on their multi-city tour of future apocalyptic renown, and are serenading an enraptured crowd for the first of two nights in Detroit. Loyal groupies aside (whom he’s dubbed the Beautiful Unwell), Lestat’s annoyed about playing cramped venues instead of sold-out arenas. The worldwide vampire community isn’t taking his viral fame well, either; a few like him, others despise him, and most have orders to kill him on sight for flaunting the Great Laws. On cue, Tim (Dorian Grey) and Rus (Elise Bauman), two unimpressed local vampires, swap telepathic insults with Lestat from the audience.
Off-stage, Lestat banters with his lackluster musicians, annoys his manager, Christine Claire (Jeanine Serralles), and sends out his body double, Jarda Klapek (also Reid), a former construction worker from the Czech Republic. Jarda, in particular, helps keep Lestat’s true murderous nature as discreet as possible. Seeing the so-called nocturnal immortal out in daylight encourages people to keep believing what they’re already inclined to — that the band is a “cash grab” chasing the juggernaut success of Daniel Molloy’s (Eric Bogosian) bestselling pseudo-fiction book. Naturally, Lestat despises Louis’ characterization of him as “a mayonnaise villain with sociopathic tendencies.” When an ardent fan asks for his autograph, he opens Daniel’s book to the page that relays Lestat cornering Claudia (Bailey Bass) on the train and scrawls, “Lies.”
Watching ‘The Vampire Lestat’ Gave Me a TV Hangover | Review
The third season of the retitled ‘Interview with the Vampire’ premieres June 7 on AMC.
Lestat Hires Daniel Molloy To Tell His Side of the Story in ‘The Vampire Lestat’ Episode 1
If a concert tour isn’t enough of a statement, Lestat’s also filming a documentary — with Daniel on board as the director. Daniel awaits him on the bus, sitting alongside Dr. Fareed Bhansali (Gopal Divan, returning from Season 1’s sixth episode). The two vampire divas proceed to have a combative diva-off that barely passes muster as an interview. Lestat exchanges flirty texts with an unnamed recipient and ignores Daniel asking after Louis, who’s gone radio silent on his old frenemy. Lestat then accuses Daniel of having “transformational trauma” surrounding Armand turning and abandoning him, which Daniel refutes. As for how Lestat’s band formed, the venture began on Halloween night in his Montreal apartment, where Lestat and Louis were sharing a pleasant chat over FaceTime until Lestat read an article spotlighting Daniel and his infamous Interview with the Vampire book.
You can imagine how awkward things get from there. Louis only discovered the book’s existence last month — “I burned [Daniel’s] laptop!” he exclaims. “I didn’t know he had it saved in the cloud!” — and tries to reassure Lestat that the sensationalized response will blow over. Incensed, Lestat storms into the nearest bookshelf to procure a copy and finds the two employees talking trash about him while gushing over Armand. He spends hours yelling, annotating the pages, and greeting trick-or-treaters dressed like Louis, Armand, and Claudia. His terrible evening culminates in him stomping next door and crashing his future bandmates’ practice session. Temper tantrum aside, they’re impressed by his guitar skills and rash attitude.
With that information in hand, Daniel diagnoses “this whole tour” as “just some Byronic reaction to my book.” Lestat confirms as much, but with the caveat that “the songs are my story, your documentary the liner notes.” Overlooking Detroit’s cityscape from his hotel room, he drafts a vulnerable message to his earlier texting partner, then sends a simpler, “It’s been too long.”
Lestat’s Past Catches Up to Him in ‘The Vampire Lestat’ Episode 1
During the next evening’s performance, Lestat competes against Larry for the spotlight. The moment he’s prepared to publicly kill his lead guitarist for trying to upstage him, Lestat hallucinates various faces and memories. A lifetime’s worth of muses “[hammer] away at the performative vampire persona I had welded into armor“ until his shields shatter. Newly vulnerable, the live music synthesizes into the magic Lestat’s been craving. He feeds on Baby Jenks (Ella Ballentine), an enthusiastic fan who leaps onto the stage. Thanks to the LSD and MDMA in her system, he envisions her floating on the ceiling, lecturing him about his incessant need for love and enigmatically warning him that “They’re coming.”
Following that especially dramatic show, the road crew, Daniel, and Baby Jenks attend a Detroit boutique hotel’s “grand-ish” opening as VIP guests. Lestat continues to spiral along one heck of an acid trip, during which he reveals the chest scars Louis omitted from his recollections, hits the urinals (vampires pee blood, if you’d ever wondered), and has a foursome with Dee (Amaka Umeh), Baby Jenks, and a bellhop in the elevator. Lestat and Dee exit on the eighth floor, ready to join the band and Christina at an exclusive separate party, only to find the Fang Gang waiting — eight vampires, led by Tim and Rus, who revere Armand and aim to kill Lestat for telling vampire truths to mortals. Lestat easily slaughters some of the ten but doesn’t do his normal best, considering the circumstances.
With perfect timing, Daniel and the downstairs party’s “oddly familiar” DJ — Sam Barclay (Christopher Geary), the only surviving member of the Théâtre des Vampires — arrive and save Lestat’s undead life. Inconveniently, however, their brawl means they crash the party. Covered in blood and guts, the alternatively shocked or delighted humans can’t ignore how Lestat’s vampire gimmick is, in fact, not a gimmick. In true Lestat fashion, rather than face a difficult problem, he throws himself out the window and flies away. He pukes up blood in a cheap hotel room and begs his unseen texting partner to visit him. When she arrives, Lestat half-preens and half-cries, sliding back into his stutter over her name — Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle), his vampire fledgling, mother, and lover. (Yes, they definitely went there.)
- Release Date
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June 7, 2026
- Network
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AMC
- Writers
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Jonathan Ceniceroz, Ryan Kattner, Anusree Roy, Hannah Moscovitch, Kevin Hanna, Rolin Jones
Cast
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Jacob Anderson
Louis de Pointe du Lac
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Pros & Cons
- Episode 1 embraces a distinctly explosive style that’s suitable for Lestat but still retains the show’s established themes and rhythms.
- Sam Reid lets loose and nails every passing emotion, from Lestat’s familiar irreverence and his sultry frontman persona to aching uncertainty.
- Daniel Molloy makes for the perfect sparring partner, and it’s entertaining to see him revel in his vampiric life.
- The intriguing framing device will surely spawn theories.
Entertainment
If You Love ‘Midnight Mass,’ Apple TV’s Stellar 10-Episode Horror-Comedy Was Made Just for You
It’s been five years since Netflix’s horror masterpiece debuted, and the impact has still not subsided. Midnight Mass was Mike Flanagan’s magnum opus, a limited series that follows a small religious community on a remote fishing island that becomes overrun with vampires. The horror tale was a masterclass in storytelling, charting the drama of many damaged characters as they overcome their personal flaws in the service of something bigger than themselves: fighting vampires.
Midnight Mass still hits home with viewers and is practically flawless, but a new series has just hit the airwaves, looking to take its crown. Airing on Apple TV, another Stephen King-inspired show has taken a different angle on horror. Widow’s Bay is a horror series on the slightly more comedic side, but it still captures the former glory of Netflix’s best limited series.
Hamish Linklater Returns to Form as the Steward of a Haunted Island in ‘Widow’s Bay’
It is without a doubt that Hamish Linklater was the standout in Netflix’s Midnight Mass. He covers all the colors of the emotional spectrum as Father Paul Hill, a new priest who comes to Crockett Island and changes everything forever. Linklater sows suspicion in the role, playing on the typical evil priest archetypes before revealing that the character is much more human beneath the surface.
Linklater returns to a similar role in Widow’s Bay, another island similarly afflicted with spooky happenings. Instead of vampires, the titular island has every horror imaginable at its beck and call, and it all starts with the town’s founder, Richard Warren. Linklater stars as the haunting patriarch in Episodes 6 and 7. Where Paul cleverly pulls a hat trick on audiences, however, Warren pretty much does the opposite.
Episode 6: “Our Town” delves into the history of Widow’s Bay and shows the evil pact Warren made to ensure the safety of the town. This isn’t a bid to pull the wool over fans’ eyes, but it is pretty much exactly as it seems. The Apple TV show excels on streaming because of this and becomes superior to any haunting story. Widow’s Bay uses these tropes to comedic effect, casting Warren as just another entity that needs to be disposed of.
Warren’s pact ensures that he can never die while on the island and is still alive and kicking — for the most part — hundreds of years later when modern citizens unearth his grave. Linklater is almost unrecognizable, bearded and coated in dust as the skeletal founder of the town. He is creepier than ever, and yet his malice has an edge of humor to it as he refuses to go quietly into that good night.
Widow’s Bay hits on all these horror tropes well, but is so indisputably charming in its characters. Matthew Rhys, in the role of Mayor Tom Loftis, is the most reluctant everyman. He goes from being a nonbeliever to teaming up with Stephen Root’s wise local character, Wyck, and forcing Warren back into the grave. Widow’s Bay is certainly self-aware enough to understand all these tropes and subvert them — humorously so. Linklater is just another feather in the cap of the series that cannot be missed on Apple TV.
- Release Date
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April 28, 2026
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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Katie Dippold
- Directors
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Sam Donovan, Andrew DeYoung, Hiro Murai, Ti West
- Writers
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Alberto Roldán, Neil Casey, Kelly Galuska, Colton Dunn, Dave Harris, Katie Dippold, Mackenzie Dohr
Corbin Bleu and his wife, Sasha Clements, are still blissfully in love after 10 years of marriage.
“We always do a thing that’s called updating our terms and conditions,” Bleu, 37, exclusively told Us Weekly at 2026 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 7, before Clements, 36, explained that the pair like to check in with each other every year.
“You know, so it’s whatever you might need, want in that period of time, it’s just communication, truly,” Bleu added to Us of the secrets of their lasting romance. “It’s being open to communicating and being aware of each other’s wants [and] each other’s needs. I would say, you know, obviously, there’s compromise that happens, but so much of it is also just being aware.”
Bleu and Clements, both actors, first crossed paths in a grocery store in 2011. The High School Musical actor, fittingly, popped the question to Clements three years later while visiting Walt Disney World. The duo ultimately tied the knot in July 2016, since sharing the screen on multiple occasions.
The biggest stars on Broadway traded the stage for the red carpet at the 2026 Tony Awards. Host Pink joined the 79th annual awards show’s nominees, presenters and performers at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the Sunday, June 7, event. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your […]
Thanks to their frequent “check-ins,” Bleu and Clements’ relationship has been better than ever.
“We’re not the same people that we were last year,” Clements said. “So, every year we do a check-in and it’s been working … and then [having] two bathrooms!”
For Bleu, he stressed that having individual space is “very important” for a happy union.
Clements has also been Bleu’s biggest cheerleader upon his theater return. Bleu currently stars as Nick Carraway in Broadway’s The Great Gatsby, a role he originated across the pond on London’s West End.
“There’s elements of [Tobey Maguire’s movie character in my portrayal], but for me, my Nick portrayal is very close to the book,” Bleu told Us of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel of the same name. “I grew up loving the novel, and I wanted to keep my portrayal as close to the novel as possible.”
Sometimes falling in love onstage can lead to an epic offstage romance — just ask Leslie Odom Jr. and Nicolette Robinson, who met during a production of Once on This Island. “Les was responsible for helping me figure out all of my blocking,” Robinson told Broadway.com in October 2018, explaining that she was asked to […]
Bleu’s portrayal even earned a Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical nomination at the Olivier Awards earlier this year.
“I’m so honored. I’ve been in this industry for a very long time,” he told Buzzfeed last month. “I started professionally as a child actor, and I’ve now been working on Broadway for more than 15 years. My pursuit has always been prioritized by respect over popularity. To be nominated for this honor feels like a turning point in my career, and I’m so happy and excited.”
Bleu, however, lost the category to Tom Edden in Paddington the Musical.
Brooke Hogan got candid about navigating adulthood as a working mom.
“So I wanted to come on here and talk about something that I think everybody needs to hear. I know it helps me when I hear it and it’s rare that I do. But I’ve found a lot of the power in my social media and my following, you guys, is that when I express something I’m going through — and I only recently started doing that — I’m shocked at the amount of people that are going through the same thing or feeling the same way,” Hogan, 38, said in a lengthy Saturday, June 6, Instagram video. “Whether it be about motherhood or family.”
She continued, “When you grow up you aren’t told you’re still not going to feel like you know what you are doing. Does anyone know what they are doing? I still feel like, ‘Why do I have 18,000 passwords and emails and paper mail still, like what is happening?’ And I can’t tell you how many people assume — right like, I’ll be on the phone with somebody and they’ll say, ‘I’m sure you got tons of people helping you and you’ve got your team.’ I’m like, ‘What team? What team?’”
Hogan explained that she has a record label, which includes a man and his son, who has been a “huge support system.” Aside from them, Hogan shared that she and her husband, Steven Oleksy, have a nanny to help with their twins.
Brooke Hogan is moving forward after ongoing drama with her extended family. “Back to R E A L I T Y. 🩷,” Hogan, 36, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, March 29, alongside a snap with husband Steven Oleksy. In other images featured in the carousel, Hogan cradled the pair’s newborn twins. (Hogan and Olesky welcomed […]
“I don’t have a publicist,” she explained. “I have a nanny that comes and helps because we literally have twins and I have a bad back and my husband has to go work sometimes and I have to go work sometimes. We’re really doing it on our own. Like, we really are. Not just living like ‘celebrity.’ There’s no village.”
Brooke shared that her lack of a “village” is not due to her estrangement from her family, which included dad Hulk Hogan, who died in 2025 of a heart attack. (Hulk left his daughter, whom he shared with ex-wife Linda Hogan, out of the will. Hulk also shared Nick Hogan with his ex-wife, whom he divorced in 2009.)
“And that’s not just because of family estrangement,” she said. “I feel like the world we live in now, nowadays, most families have to be dual-income households, and most people have to move for work. A lot of people don’t live near their family. So it’s not just estrangement, I think a lot of people are in the same predicament and even if you do live near people that love you, they have their own stuff going on. Like, they need help, they need a village. So I feel like we live in a world that expects so much of us.”
Brooke went on to reflect on how the world is different than when she was growing up in the ‘90s, before explaining that she feels like she’s “dealing with a couple different sets of circumstances.”
Brooke Hogan responded to her mom Linda Hogan’s recent claims that they are no longer in touch. “I try very hard to ignore issues surrounding my family in hopes I might have peace in my life,” Brooke, 36, wrote in a Thursday, March 27, Instagram statement. “Sadly, I’ve intentionally made myself smaller in my professional […]
“Listen, I’m not depressed, like, ‘I hate my life.’ I love my life, I love my husband, I love my kids. We’re so blessed, we’re healthy,” she said. “I know all those things, but I feel like I’m running on empty. I feel like I can’t keep up. I feel like I can’t make everybody happy. I can’t force myself to not be genuine on social media. I don’t want to push products down people’s throat. That’s just not me.”
While continuing to reflect on her “mental load,” Brooke captioned the post, “Am I the only one? 😅.”
Entertainment
Jason Statham’s Remake of a Burt Reynolds Action Thriller Surpassed the Original in Every Way
William Goldman’s 1985 novel Heat had the makings of a gritty crime thriller destined to be adapted for the big screen with its exploration of the moody life of a former mercenary-turned-bodyguard, plagued by a gambling addiction and a desire to flee Las Vegas. Goldman’s novel was adapted twice — first, in the 1986 thriller of the same name starring Burt Reynolds under the direction of Dick Richards, and then the 2015 version, called Wild Card, starring Jason Statham by director Simon West.
Reynolds and Statham share something in common: both are world-renowned for their likable charm and ability to handle their own stunts. Yet, where Statham has enjoyed positive collaborations on his films, Reynolds’ bruised ego in the latter half of his career often led to high-profile embarrassments. Neither adaptation of the Goldman novel enjoyed box-office success. However, the Statham version would ultimately become the better take.
What Is William Goldman’s ‘Heat’ About?
According to Sean Egan‘s book William Goldman: The Reluctant Storyteller, the original novel was inspired by the Oscar-winning writer’s distaste for the city of Las Vegas and the seedy means of making a living there. Reynolds’ Heat and Statham’s Wild Card are narrowed down to the Goldman book’s highlights: Las Vegas tough guy Nick “The Mex” Escalante (renamed “Nick Wild” in the Statham version) lives a lonely existence as a “chaperone” with dreams of raising enough money to flee away from Sin City to Venice, Italy. He often gambles in the casinos and takes small jobs to achieve his financial goals, such as allowing a lovelorn client to beat him up to impress a date. The action kicks into gear when Nick gets hired by a sex worker named Holly to get payback against young gangster Danny DeMarco and his thugs who viciously assaulted her. With special combat skills involving edged weapons, Nick succeeds in beating the thugs and allowing Holly to commit a cringe-worthy act on DeMarco’s family jewels.
In the key subplots, Nick gets hired to toughen up a meek rich man, Cyrus, who becomes his unlikely companion. Additionally, Nick seeks to take his earnings from Holly’s job to gamble at the blackjack table to raise enough money to flee to Venice. His luck runs out when he blows all the earnings on a single bet. As Nick finds another path out of Vegas thanks to Cyrus’ generosity, a vengeful DeMarco defies his mobster father “Baby” by hunting the ex-mercenary down.
‘Heat’ Was Burt Reynolds’ Failed Attempt at a Career Comeback
Reynolds saw the Goldman novel as an opportunity to resuscitate his fading movie star status. Recounting this period of his life in his memoir But Enough About Me, the megastar of the ’70s had a string of box office disappointments in the early ’80s and suffered a serious injury to his jaw on the set of City Heat co-starring Clint Eastwood. Additionally, the audience turning to new leading action stars of the day, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, caused the Smokey and the Bandit star to look like a relic of the past. After the failure of his 1985 crime-thriller Stick, Reynolds needed a significant makeover as an on-screen hero. No more fast cars and witty banter with his friend Dom Deluise. The ‘80s was all about men with more action and less talk. Reynolds had to recapture the gritty edge he displayed in his 1981 hit Sharky’s Machine.
On paper, the character of Nick had all the qualities that made Reynolds popular in his prime: masculine, loyal to friends, and a spark in his eye when it came to the ladies. Unfortunately, Heat’s production was troubled right from the start, beginning with director Robert Altman being involved. According to Patrick McGilligan‘s book, Robert Altman: Jumping Off the Cliff – A Biography of the Great American Director, the acclaimed filmmaker behind M*A*S*H dropped out when Goldman refused to change the screenplay adaptation of his novel. Richards took over based on his past collaboration with producer Elliott Kasner on the adaptation of Raymond Chandler‘s Farewell, My Lovely. Reynolds reveals in his memoir that he did not get along with the new director, resulting in a physical altercation that led to a years-long lawsuit. Between Reynolds’ fading star power and the behind-the-scenes creative issues, Heat was nowhere near the intense street-level thriller Goldman described in the novel. Barely released to theaters in 1986, Heat became an infamous footnote in Reynolds’ historic filmmography.
Jason Statham’s Brutality Is on Full Display in ‘Wild Card’
When Wild Card was made decades later, the film was tailored to the British action star known for his proficient martial arts skills and charming wit. Yet, it went as far as faithfully adapting the original screenplay that Goldman wrote before it was altered in production. The story beats remained mostly the same as Heat but with one key difference: Statham is more believable as a prime badass in every scene than the aging, tired-looking Reynolds. Reynolds’ performance in Heat mirrored the state of his career in 1986. Instead of relying heavily on executing big stunts and Southern charm, he plays Nick like a burned out warrior exhausted by the thrills. Though the film leans heavily on Reynolds’ attempt at giving a realistic performance, he ends up losing his signature charisma in the process. Statham, however, is far more action-driven while playing a man wanting out of a violent world.
‘Wild Card’s Director Had Previously Worked With Jason Statham
Unlike the Reynolds/Richards feud, Statham and West already had a positive working relationship with The Expendables 2 and The Mechanic. With both men having a depth of experience in action, the fight sequences have a greater intensity, closer to Statham’s Crank movies, than the ‘70s-looking approach that Heat took on. One clear-cut example is the scene of Nick using edged items against DeMarco’s thugs. Heat relies on slow-motion shots and quick cuts of Reynolds striking at the camera to hide his physical limitations with age. Wild Card’s version, however, goes even further in cranking the motion of the shots, similar to The Matrix’s bullet-time technique, for the audience to get the full effect of Nick’s brutality.
Wild Card’s more cohesive actor/director partnership goes beyond what’s on the screen. Director West, who replaced Brian De Palma on the project, had a better collaboration with Goldman than the filmmakers of the 1986 film. Recalling an early conversation with Goldman in an interview with Den of Geek, West’s direction of Statham for nearly every scene in Wild Card is driven by the writer’s description of Nick as the most dangerous man in Vegas “even when he’s not doing anything, everybody in the room knows that, and everybody knows his history, what he’s capable of. And so, he ultimately, doesn’t have to do that much, because he is the toughest guy in Vegas.” With that description in mind, the character of Nick was the perfect embodiment of the no-nonsense Statham as opposed to the remorseful Reynolds.
‘Wild Card’s Cast Elevates the Jason Statham Action Movie
Another aspect of Wild Card that makes it a superior film to Heat is its supporting cast. Though Heat enjoyed fine performances from Karen Young and Diana Scarwid, the rest of the cast, including WKRP in Cincinnati‘s Howard Hesseman, appeared as if they were only there to collect a paycheck. Statham, however, has been fortunate enough to surround himself with bigger stars, whether it is The Expendables, Parker, or The Beekeeper. The performances in Wild Card shine with high-caliber talents breathing life into Goldman’s street-level characters, including Milo Ventimiglia as DeMarco, Hope Davis as Nick’s card dealer friend Cassandra, Jason Alexander as Nick’s pal Pinky, and Stanley Tucci as Baby.
The standout of Wild Card’s ensemble is Michael Angarano as Cyrus, originally played by Peter MacNichol in Heat. The former’s take on the self-made millionaire has a strong apprentice characteristic next to Nick akin to Ben Foster’s role opposite Statham in The Mechanic. The ability of Angarano’s Cyrus to hold his own to Statham’s Nick is much stronger than MacNichol softening Heat’s gritty tone by playing the role as Reynolds’ latest comedic sidekick.
Wild Card did not do strong enough business in theaters to warrant a new franchise for Statham, as Heat failed to stop Reynolds’s box office slide. Yet, the differences in both films’ stars and the behind-the-scenes atmosphere made a huge difference in the overall quality. While Heat became an infamous chapter in Reynolds’ long career, Statham’s performance of Wild Card only added to his credibility as a legit modern-day action star, appearing in recent popular films like A Working Man and The Beekeeper.
- Release Date
-
January 14, 2015
- Runtime
-
92 Minutes
Iconic singer Melissa Etheridge is opening up about the loss of her forever 21-year-old son, Beckett Cypher.
“It took a while,” Etheridge, 65, exclusively told Us Weekly on Friday, June 5, of the work she has done to process her son’s death. “I just sat down and just really let it happen. It’s like, ‘OK, how do I want to? Well, since I can’t call you anymore’ — because we used to, he texted me every day, used to call me, text me. I spoke to him every day.”
She continued, “That’s when I feel the most the most, so that’s where I wanted to say, well, since I can’t call you anymore, I can’t do it, I’m going to go garden. I’m going to take a drive. I’m going to do these things. I’m going to keep living, even though you know I have that.”
Etheridge and her ex Julie Cypher’s son died in 2020 at the age of 21 from what was later determined to be complications and causes of opioid addiction.
The connection between mental health and substance misuse is frequently misunderstood and underreported. In March 2025, Us Weekly presented ‘The Missing Issue’ — which was dedicated to an exploration of co-occurring disorders. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 48.5 million Americans battle substance misuse — and approximately 50 percent […]
“We’re sad to inform you that Melissa’s son Beckett passed away and there will not be a Concerts From Home show today. – #TeamMe,” the singer announced via X, then Twitter, at the time.
A year later, in a 2021 interview with People TV, Etheridge opened up about her son’s final days.
Melissa Etheridge (2nd L) posing with her son Beckett (2nd R), daughter Baile Getty Images
“He was paranoid … All of a sudden he was involved with guns,” she said at the time, adding that her son became addicted to opioids after he was prescribed pain medication at age 17 to treat an ankle injury. “I tried to get him [treatment]. I tried to get him to let me call an ambulance for him, then he stopped calling me. He didn’t call me for four days, and twice we sent a wellness check on him. The second time, they found him dead.”
The moments when she misses her son the most — the moments when she wants to but can’t call him — inspired one of her latest songs, aptly titled “Call You.”
“Because it’s about the loss of my son, and it was the first song I wrote,” Etheridge told Us of how her son inspired the track, while discussing her latest album Rise and CMA Fest performance. “I knew when I made up my mind — yeah, I’m going to do a whole new album, original material, you know, just me writing songs like I’ve always done — I knew I would have to write about that.”
She added, “I would have to find a way to express where I’m at with the loss of my son, and it’s almost impossible to express that sort of pain. But I knew I’d have to sit down — and I was able to, in this song, just get across that sometimes we can drown in guilt and shame.”
Etheridge went on to tell Us that the constant questions of, “Did I do enough?” and, “Did I do too much?” and, “Was there something else I could have done?” can be maddening — but as a wife and a mother, she had to “find a way to understand” the pain of her loss.
“These things that make you mad and crazy,” she said, “and it was my job — for my wife, for my kids, for me — to find a way to understand that he came into this life, he made choices, and it wasn’t up to me to save him. I couldn’t not save him, and just feeling that — feeling the loss — but also going, ‘I will not stop living for what I’m living for, even if I can’t call you anymore.’ So that was the song. I haven’t played it live yet. I don’t know if I can play it live yet, but it is a piece of meat. It was the first one, and I got it out of the way and was able to write the rest.”
Currently, the powerful opioid fentanyl is the leading cause of death for young people ages 18 to 45, causing more deaths per year than car accidents and cancer. As the country continues to grapple with the ongoing opioid pandemic, Etheridge has a message of hope for future generations.
“I’m hopeful. I don’t want to drown. I want to live and create and have joy,” she told Us. “There’s so much joy to be able to, you know, so much joy left — and I want them to see that, too. I want, even though there are sad moments in this album, that the tour, the concert, is uplifting and inspiring. Very much so.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
As Aubrey Plaza and Chris Abbott await the birth of their first baby, the actress happily cheered on her boyfriend at the 2026 Tony Awards.
The pregnant Parks and Recreation alum, 41, and the Death of a Salesman actor, 40, attended the Sunday, June 7, ceremony at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Plaza draped her bump in a sleek pinstripe gown with EFFY jewelry, while Abbott opted for a classic suit.
Abbott earned his first Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for his portrayal of Biff in Arthur Miller’s iconic Death of a Salesman. His fellow contenders in the category include Danny Burstein for Marjorie Prime, Brandon J. Dirden for Waiting for Godot, Alden Ehrenreich for Becky Shaw, Ruben Santiago-Hudson for August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and Richard Thomas for The Balusters.
Abbott and Plaza’s Tonys outing comes two months after news broke in April that she is pregnant with the couple’s first baby. She subsequently debuted her bump while walking her dog in New York City and attended an afterparty with Abbott following Death of a Salesman’s opening night.
The biggest stars on Broadway traded the stage for the red carpet at the 2026 Tony Awards. Host Pink joined the 79th annual awards show’s nominees, presenters and performers at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the Sunday, June 7, event. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your […]
Later that month, Plaza publicly addressed her pregnancy for the first time.
“Well, there’s a baby inside of me,” she said during an April appearance on the “SmartLess” podcast.
Plaza went on to offer some insight into her experience as an expectant mother.
“Today was a big day. I went to the doctor’s today, and my dog also went to the doctor’s,” she shared. “Both of us — my dog’s getting a scan right now. I got a scan earlier. I’m not kidding.”
She added, “She had to get an ultrasound on her stomach. And then I got an ultrasound on my stomach, and there is a baby in there.”
Plaza revealed at the time that she was “excited” to become a mom.
“I’ve always wanted to see what that’s all about, you know?” she explained. “It just seems so interesting, that whole thing.”
The following month, Abbott broke his silence on Plaza’s pregnancy while appearing on Today With Jenna and Sheinelle.
“Can we say congratulations?” Jenna Bush Hager asked during the May sit-down. “You’re expecting a babe.”
Abbott jokingly replied, “I thought for my Tony nom! No, no, I’m kidding.”
Aubrey Plaza is gearing up to welcome her first baby. “There’s something inside: it’s a baby,” Plaza quipped on an April 2026 episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers, announcing her pregnancy. “[I] may need you to pull it out. That’s why I came here tonight. It’s either you or [fellow guest] Henry Winkler. Those […]
When Bush Hager, 44, acknowledged that Abbott has “a lot going on” in his work and personal life at the moment, he agreed there was “too much going on” to keep up.
“We love Aubrey here,” Bush Hager said. “We’re so happy for the both of you.”
Abbott responded, “That’s very nice. Thank you very much. It’s very exciting.”
Plaza and Abbott previously starred together in 2020’s Black Bear and 2023’s Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. The duo went public with their romance more than one year after Plaza’s estranged husband, Jeff Baena, died by suicide at age 47 in January 2025. Plaza and Baena, who married in 2021, quietly separated prior to his death.
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If you’ve spotted an elevated, effortless blouse on someone at brunch and wondered where she got it, nine times out of 10, the answer is Aritzia. However, if you want the look without the credit card damage, you’re in luck. These Amazon alternatives are identical, but unlike the actual label, they start at just $6!
Aritzia’s signature look includes silky, relaxed fabrics, billowy sleeves, clean necklines and tailoring that is easy rather than constricting. These 13 summer blouses deliver that same vibe, making you appear pulled together without trying too hard. People will assume you splurged-splurged.
13 Aritzia-Style Summer Blouses — From $6
1. Our Favorite: Swiss dots and flutter sleeves give this billowy summer blouse a quietly expensive look. The airy fabric moves beautifully.
2. Trendy Tie: Pair this trendy tie-front top with trousers for the office, then swap in denim shorts for weekend errands. It’s a piece you’ll reach for twice a week (at least).
3. CEO Alert: Stiff shirts have no place in 90-degree heat. Thankfully, this professional bow-neck blouse is made of ultra-lightweight chiffon, saving you from sweating during your commute.
4. Everyday Outfit: Ruffled cap sleeves add just enough drama to elevate this head-turning button-up. It works tucked, untucked or knotted at the waist.
5. Cute and Crisp: Clean stripes, a stand collar and front buttons give this boutiquey shirt style the French-girl ease that everyone’s coveting lately.
Gone are the days of walking shoes that look like walking shoes. Designers figured out how to hide cushioned footbeds, arch support and shock absorption into silhouettes that are so incredibly polished. These 11 classy walking shoes belong on the streets of Paris, and they genuinely feel like walking on clouds. Whether you’re searching for […]
6. Millionaire Status: Wear this sophisticated babydoll top with white linen pants for a rooftop dinner. The ruffle neckline adds oomph in place of an accessory, so you can skip the flashy pendant entirely.
7. Dreamy and Drapey: This tummy-hiding blouse flatters even when you’re bloated, thanks to the loose fabric and drapey cowl neckline that draws attention upward.
8. Laced Up: Long sleeves usually mean overheating in summer, but this lace-embellished blouse vents air through the holes. Coverage doesn’t equal sweating.
9. Dressy Casual: Imagine this 3/4-sleeve blouse over dark denim for office days that turn into cocktails. It’s comfortable enough for the cubicle yet dressy enough for the bar.
10. Elevated Tee: Mesh sleeves and Swiss dots turn a basic white tee into something you’d actually wear out. This elevated wonder costs $6 but doesn’t look like it.
11. Rich Mom: Satin, leopard print and a bow-tie detail on a halter tank. This ultra-stylish pick should cost much more than $10.
12. Flattering Find: This sleeveless peplum top flares at the ribcage, which subtly conceals your belly. You’ll look like a model without even trying.
13. Wardrobe MVP: Lantern sleeves, a peplum shape and subtle stripes pack three trending details into one preppy blouse. Grab a few colors while you’re at it!
Entertainment
One of the Greatest WWII Movies of All Time Is Waiting To Be Rediscovered on Prime Video
The best World War II movies of the last century typically feature heroic stories of battle and conquest, survival despite insurmountable challenges, and honorable figures fighting against injustice. And it’s no surprise that Richard Attenborough‘s 1977 war drama A Bridge Too Far stands out as one of the most realistic and ambitious World War II films ever made, and now it’s streaming on Prime Video. Upon its release, however, it was not universally lauded. In his scathing review, Roger Ebert asks, “Why make a movie about total defeat and stupidity?” And yet, that is the reason why A Bridge Too Far stands out among the rest. The film captures the scale, complexity, and failure of an operation by the Allied forces to surprise their enemies.
A Bridge Too Far did not match the success of Steven Spielberg‘s seminal classic Saving Private Ryan, but its epic storytelling, nuanced perspectives, and historical authenticity ensure its place among the greats. It’s an unapologetic tale of the triumphs and failures of war with a commitment to depicting war’s horrors. These are portrayed by a massive ensemble cast of A-list stars of its time, drawn from Europe and the United States. And now you can watch it for free on Tubi.
‘A Bridge Too Far’ Is Based on the True Story of the Allied Forces’ Botched Operation
Adapted from historian Cornelius Ryan‘s book of the same name, A Bridge Too Far is about the Allied forces’ ambitious, ill-fated Operation Market Garden, a plan designed to end World War II by capturing key bridges in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands. Executed in September 1944, the operation was the largest airborne assault in history, with 35,000 soldiers being flown from England and dropped behind enemy lines. Attenborough’s picture faithfully reconstructs this strategy through three main perspectives: the Allied forces, comprising the British, American, Dutch, and Polish paratroopers; Dutch civilians; and German soldiers. The film is an interplay of hope and chaos in war. The confidence of the military generals led by the British General Montgomery fails to align with the realities of those on the frontlines. William Goldman‘s screenplay highlights how these top soldiers ignored intelligence and underrated their opponents, leading to the total disaster that Roger Ebert terms “stupidity.”
With a star-studded ensemble cast that mirrors the film’s sprawling narrative, including Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Robert Redford, Anthony Hopkins, and Gene Hackman, A Bridge Too Far is a history class that shows that war is not only horrific for soldiers but also takes a toll on civilians as well. For instance, a moment in the movie shows a woman going about her business when she suddenly has unexpected soldiers as guests, with one telling her, “I’m awfully sorry, but I’m afraid we’re going to have to occupy your house.” Other scenes depict civilians caught in the line of fire, as well as the carnage of soldiers on the ground. It’s unflinching in its portrayal of war, with graphic images that leave an impression. Upon its release, it had to be edited in some destinations before being screened.
‘A Bridge Too Far’ Is a Cinematic Triumph Despite Its Flaws
Filmed on location in the Netherlands, A Bridge Too Far is a visual triumph that succeeds in part due to its effort at being authentic. Germans speak German, the Dutch speak Dutch, and even the Americans and the British are distinct in their speeches and accents (including Sean Connery in his Scottish accent). Attenborough’s attention to detail, like having tens of airplanes in the sky and thousands of parachutes with stuntmen dropping, makes the film breathtaking. While it has been criticized for some of its aged, bland effects, the battle sequences are gritty and immersive. In its near-three-hour length, criticized by some, it transports you to the chaos of the battlefield. This realism wasn’t lost on veterans and critics alike, many of whom praised its accurate portrayal of the operation’s scale and its complexity.
Comparable to Christopher Nolan‘s Dunkirk, the film rarely gives the impression of a central character leading the plot. A Bridge Too Far eschews traditional lead characters for ensemble storytelling that reflects the collective effort and sacrifice of war. General Montgomery, who developed the strategy, for instance, is a physically absent character in the film. Each of the many other characters seems to be fighting individual wars that only converge on the bigger war at hand. However, unlike Dunkirk, which condenses its narrative into a tense and focused runtime, A Bridge Too Far is focused on the failed operation’s epic scale. This approach, while it may not be emotionally stimulating, depicts the rawness of war itself.
Decades after its release, A Bridge Too Far demands patience but rewards viewers with an unparalleled depiction of WWII’s triumphs and tragedies. It’s a film that doesn’t glorify war but instead captures its chaos, futility, and humanity. If you are a fan of sprawling combat, this is definitely your movie.
- Release Date
-
June 15, 1977
- Runtime
-
175 Minutes
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