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American Gun

R 2005 1h 35m Drama List
39% Tomatometer 31 Reviews 43% Audience Score 2,500+ Ratings
Guns affect the lives of diverse people across the country. In Chicago, a high-school principal (Forest Whitaker) deals with the proliferation of guns on campus. In Oregon, a depressed woman (Marcia Gay Harden) remains a pariah years after her son opened fire on fellow students. And in Virginia, the owner (Donald Sutherland) of a gun store finds difficulty connecting with his granddaughter. Read More Read Less

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Critics Consensus

Despite its intriguing premise, this earnest anti-gun polemic is too melodramatic to resonate.

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Critics Reviews

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Nick Schager Slant Magazine Full of grating hysterics and solemn symbolism. Rated: 1.5/4 Aug 18, 2006 Full Review John McMurtrie San Francisco Chronicle It's a bit like watching a weaker version of Crash, with fewer coincidences. Rated: 2/4 Apr 21, 2006 Full Review Michael Booth Denver Post The guns seem to have been shoved in various characters' pockets as afterthought, and Avelino's interlocking stories never click. Rated: 2/4 Apr 7, 2006 Full Review Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed A fitting send off to one of America's best actors who dominates the screen. Apr 29, 2009 Full Review Kam Williams AALBC.com A moving morality play indicting America for its ongoing love affair with the Second Amendment. Rated: 4/4 Jan 29, 2007 Full Review Christopher Null Filmcritic.com takes too many shortcuts and easy-outs in exploring the issue Rated: 3/5 Aug 29, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member This movie really shows pepole that guns are very serious buisness. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Slow paced, but it does give a strong - if not divided message @ the end. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member This film is just another pathetic attempt to demonize guns and portray gun ownership as some sort of dark cloud in peoples lives. Not even a nice try. What would be nice is if a film was produced showing the truth of the many lives that are saved everyday by people who are concealled carry holders who are still alive because murderers, robbers, rapists and home invaders were stopped before their devious plans could be carried out. Or how about a film that goes along with actual national statistics that indicate when people have to wait for police to arrive during a shooting rampage an average of 14.3 people are killed compared with 2.3 deaths when the rampage is stopped by armed citizens. Another interesting docudrama would be to show the devestating effects of Autralia's nationwide ban on guns and how its citizens are now helpless victims as armed robbery is up 68%, armed assaults are up 28%, home invastions are up 21% and so on. I think those who are brave enough to tell the truth would be surprised at the response and the support that they would receive from producing a high quality film on these topics I just mentioned, which would be in complete contrast to this film which drags on with useless, misleading content. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member amanda seyfried plays mouse in in this film Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Solid performances from Whitaker, Gay Harden, and Goldwyn make this story about the consequences of gun violence worth a watch. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Sarcastic movie to American nation (and it's hurtfully true!) Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Guns affect the lives of diverse people across the country. In Chicago, a high-school principal (Forest Whitaker) deals with the proliferation of guns on campus. In Oregon, a depressed woman (Marcia Gay Harden) remains a pariah years after her son opened fire on fellow students. And in Virginia, the owner (Donald Sutherland) of a gun store finds difficulty connecting with his granddaughter.
Director
Aric Avelino
Producer
Ted Kroeber
Screenwriter
Aric Avelino, Steven Bagatourian
Production Co
IFC Productions, Spirit Dance Entertainment, Participant Prods.
Rating
R (Language|Violent Content)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Mar 22, 2006
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$24.0K
Runtime
1h 35m
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