The Hero (2017 film)
The Hero | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Brett Haley |
Written by |
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Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Rob Givens |
Edited by | Brett Haley |
Music by | Keegan DeWitt |
Distributed by | The Orchard |
Release dates |
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Running time | 93 minutes[1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $4.1 million[1] |
The Hero is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed and edited by Brett Haley and written by Haley and Marc Basch. It stars Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter, Nick Offerman and Katharine Ross and follows an aging movie star who deals with his terminal illness.
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2017 and was released on June 9, 2017, by The Orchard.
Plot
Lee Hayden (Sam Elliott) is an aging Western icon with a golden voice, but his best performances are decades behind him. He spends his days reliving old glories and smoking marijuana with his former-co-star-turned-dealer, Jeremy (Nick Offerman), until a surprise cancer diagnosis brings his priorities into sharp focus. He soon strikes up an exciting, contentious relationship with stand-up comic Charlotte (Laura Prepon), and he attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Lucy (Krysten Ritter), all while searching for one final role to cement his legacy.
Cast
- Sam Elliott as Lee Hayden
- Laura Prepon as Charlotte Dylan
- Krysten Ritter as Lucy Hayden
- Nick Offerman as Jeremy Frost
- Katharine Ross as Valarie Hayden
Production
On April 20, 2016, it was reported that Sam Elliott would star in The Hero, directed and co-written by Brett Haley. Other cast members included Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter, Nick Offerman, and Elliott's wife Katharine Ross.[2]
Filming took place throughout Los Angeles and lasted 18 days.[3]
Release
The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2017.[4][5] Shortly after, The Orchard acquired distribution rights to the film.[6] It was released on June 9, 2017.[7]
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 78% based on 106 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Hero rests on Sam Elliott's understated performance, which proves more than capable of carrying the film through the less inspired moments of its somewhat clichéd story."[8] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the film has a score of 61 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[9]
References
- ^ a b "The Hero". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
- ^ Lyons, Josh (April 20, 2016). "{Exclusive} Sam Elliott Will Lead Cast That Includes Laura Prepon Krysten Ritter Nick Offerman in "The Hero"". The Tracking Board. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ Johnston, Nick (15 June 2017). "Interview: Director Brett Haley on finding 'The Hero' within Sam Elliott". Vanyaland. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
- ^ "2017 Sundance Film Festival: Competition and Next Lineup Announced". Sundance Film Festival. The Sundance Institute. November 29, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ "The Hero". Sundance Film Festival. The Sundance Institute. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 22, 2017). "The Orchard Lands Sam Elliott Drama 'The Hero:' Sundance". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 14, 2017). "Sundance Film Festival Sam Elliott Drama 'The Hero' Sets Summer Release". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "The Hero (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
- ^ "The Hero Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 7, 2017.