Rain Man (1988)
91%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: Won 4 Oscars
26 wins & 23 nominations total
This road-trip movie about an autistic savant and his callow brother is far from seamless, but Barry Levinson’s direction is impressive, and strong performances from Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman add to its appeal.
Rain Man is a movie about two brothers who couldn’t be more different, but end up bonding in a way that’s heartwarming and hilarious. Dustin Hoffman’s performance as Raymond, an autistic savant, is nothing short of incredible, and Tom Cruise is the perfect foil as his selfish and impatient brother Charlie. The film takes us on a road trip through the American Southwest, as the brothers learn to understand and appreciate each other’s quirks and strengths. It’s a buddy movie, a family drama, and a comedy all rolled into one, and it’s definitely worth a watch. Just don’t expect to leave the theater without quoting “definitely, definitely” at least once.
Production Company(ies)
Forty Four Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures,
Distributor
MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., United Artists
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center – 1000 E. Santa Ana Boulevard, Santa Ana, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1988
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:2h 13m
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Language(s):English, Italian
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 14, 1988 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 3, 2004
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, Valeria Golino, Gerald R Molen, Jack Murdock, Michael D Roberts, directed by Barry Levinson, written by Ronald Bass, Barry Morrow, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Owen Gleiberman, Nigel Andrews, Bob Thomas, Jay Carr, Desmond Ryan, Peter Travers, Rene Jordan, James Wegg, Mike Massie, Tim Brayton, Brian D Johnson, MPAA rating R, Mark Johnson produced
Worldwide gross: $354,825,435
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $908,509,700
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 116
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 99,074,122
US/Canada gross: $172,825,435
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $442,509,382
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 96
US/Canada opening weekend: $7,005,719
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $17,937,732
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 708
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $25,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $64,011,033
Production budget ranking: 647
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $34,469,941
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $810,028,726
ROI to date (est.): 823%
ROI ranking: 160
Tom Cruise – Charles Sanford ‘Charlie’ Babbitt
Valeria Golino – Susanna
Gerald R. Molen – Dr. Bruner
Jack Murdock – John Mooney, Will Executor
Michael D. Roberts – Vern
Director(s)
Barry Levinson
Writer(s)
Ronald Bass, Barry Morrow
Producer(s)
Mark Johnson
Film Festivals
Cannes
Awards & Nominations
Won 4 Oscars
26 wins & 23 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Directing Winners, Oscar Best Picture Winners, Oscar Best Writing Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (83) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (74) | Rotten (9)
Rain Man is a buddy movie about two guys who barely connect, and
the miracle of the film is how simply — and powerfully — it connects with us.
February 10, 2022
Owen Gleiberman
Boston Phoenix
TOP CRITIC
Mostly the film abounds with wit, charm and ingenuity. And above all it abounds with Dustin Hoffman.
February 3, 2020
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
Barry Levinson directs in masterful style It is his best effort in what promises to be a distinguished career.
October 22, 2018 | Rating: 4/4
Bob Thomas
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
It’s Hoffman’s most exposed performance in that he must work almost entirely with his character’s landlocked interior life.
April 27, 2018
Jay Carr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
Everything about the acting and direction of Rain Man is so exquisitely calibrated and so right that it’s all too easy to forget how much could have gone wrong.
January 13, 2014 | Rating: 4/4
Desmond Ryan
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Under Barry Levinson’s astringent direction, Hoffman and Cruise evoke honestly earned emotions. Don’t pass on this wonderfully funny and touching movie. There’s magic in it.
January 13, 2014
Peter Travers
People Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Rain Man risks everything in the casinos of Las Vegas and emerges as a rarity: an optimistic tragedy. [Full review in Spanish]
June 15, 2022
Rene Jordan
El Nuevo Herald (Miami)
Far and away the best thing about Barry Levinson’s production is Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of autistic savant, Raymond Babbitt.
May 8, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
James Wegg
JWR
Boasts exceptional acting, particularly from Hoffman (who is convincing with his idiosyncrasies) and Golino (who exhibits a striking authenticity with her emotional displays).
September 7, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Garish and superficial.
May 2, 2020 | Rating: 2/5
Tim Brayton
Alternate Ending
…wonderful performances make it a memorable trip. Hoffman has by far the juicier role, an opportunity to transform himself almost as radically as he did in Tootsie.
October 11, 2019
Brian D. Johnson
Maclean’s Magazine
[A] poignant and involving comedy drama.
February 21, 2019
Sky Staff
Sky Cinema…
Plot
Charles Sanford “Charlie” Babbit is a self-centered Los Angeles-based automobile dealer/hustler/bookie who is at war with his own life. Charlie, as a young teenager, used his father’s 1949 Buick convertible without permission and as a result, he went to jail for two days on account that his father reported it stolen. It is then that Charlie learns that his estranged father died and left him from his last will and testament a huge bed of roses and the car while the remainder will of $3 Million goes into a trust fund to be distributed to someone. Charlie seemed pretty angry by this and decides to look into this matter. It seems as if that “someone” is Raymond, Charlie’s unknown brother, an autistic savant who lives in a world of his own, resides at the Walbrook Institute. Charlie then kidnaps Raymond and decides to take him on a lust for life trip to the west coast as a threat to get the $3 Million inheritance. Raymond’s acts and nagging, including repeated talks of “Abbott & Costello”, “Four minutes till Wapner” and refusal to fly on an airline except Qantas drives Charlie insane… and out of his selfish world into a cross-country trek of pure love and understanding that these two both have.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of autistic savant Raymond Babbitt is “exposed” and “juicy,” according to one critic.
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