Bulworth (1998)
77%RT Audience Score: 68%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
1 win & 20 nominations total
Star and director Beatty’s ambitious take on race and politics in 20th-century America isn’t perfect, but manages to provide more than its share of thought-provoking laughs
Bulworth is like a political rollercoaster ride that will leave you feeling exhilarated and a little bit dizzy. It’s a sharp and brave movie that takes on some serious issues, but also knows how to have a good time. Warren Beatty is a force to be reckoned with as writer, director, and star, and he delivers a performance that’s both hilarious and heartfelt. If you’re looking for a movie that will make you think and make you laugh, then Bulworth is definitely worth checking out. Just be prepared to hold on tight!
Production Company(ies)
AOI Promotion Fuji Television, Network GAGA.
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles International Airport – 1 World Way, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for pervasive strong language and some drug content
Year of Release
1998
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital DTS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 46m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 15, 1998 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 1, 2005
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Warren Beatty, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Oliver Platt, Paul Sorvino, Jack Warden, Pieter Jan Brugge, directed by Warren Beatty, written by Warren Beatty, Jeremy Pikser, Comedy, Drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Owen Gleiberman, Kenneth Turan, Marjorie Baumgarten, Roger Ebert, Charles Taylor, Eddie Harrison, David Walsh, Gilbert Adair, Emanuel Levy, Heather Boerner, MPAA rating R, politics, satire, insurance policy, contract killing, disillusionment, race, thought-provoking laughs, honest observations, hip young woman, murder
Worldwide gross: $29,202,884
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $53,591,410
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,296
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 5,844,210
US/Canada gross: $26,528,185
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $48,682,960
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,082
US/Canada opening weekend: $141,816
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $260,252
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,581
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $30,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $55,054,230
Production budget ranking: 731
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $29,646,703
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$31,109,523
ROI to date (est.): -37%
ROI ranking: 1,608
Halle Berry – Nina
Don Cheadle – L.D.
Oliver Platt – Dennis Murphy
Paul Sorvino – Graham Crockett
Jack Warden – Eddie Davers
Director(s)
Warren Beatty
Writer(s)
Warren Beatty, Jeremy Pikser
Producer(s)
Warren Beatty, Pieter Jan Brugge
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
1 win & 20 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (68) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (52) | Rotten (16)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: C+
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
It’s a sharp, brave movie, a little ragged around the edges, but that’s to its advantage.
June 24, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
What gives Bulworth its unique character is that all this silliness is periodically punctuated by cogent, carefully thought-out mini-manifestos…
February 14, 2001 | Rating: 3.5/5
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
[A] political satire that’s as fresh and exhilarating as anything we’ve seen come out of Hollywood in quite some time…
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 4/5
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Bulworth plays like a cry of frustrated comic rage. It’s about an archetypal character who increasingly seems to stand for our national mood: the guy who’s fed up and isn’t going to take it anymore.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
As writer, director and star, Beatty flails all over the screen, but he’s also made the only recent political satire that draws blood.
January 1, 2000
Charles Taylor
Salon.com
TOP CRITIC
…has a dynamic, if not revolutionary view of the political world, leavened with jokes and complete with a shock ending…
January 4, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
Bulworth is an angry and politically astute film. More than that, it is in many ways a liberating film.
February 16, 2021
David Walsh
World Socialist Web Site
Beatty is to be congratulated on even attempting to prick America’s conscience in these conservative times, but the real reason for seeing it is the panache with which it captures the irresistible flash and filigree of American politics.
November 27, 2017
Gilbert Adair
Independent on Sunday
This charming, Capraesque political fable demonstrates the viability of Warren Beatty as writer, director and star; it’s his last decent film.
September 23, 2012 | Rating: B+
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
August 27, 2012 | Rating: B
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Smug but fun political satire for adults only.
December 18, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
Heather Boerner
Common Sense Media…
Plot
Senator Jay Bulworth is facing speculation-induced financial ruin, so he puts out a contract on his own life in order to collect a large, new insurance policy for his family. Living each moment on borrowed time, he suddenly begins spouting raw, unfiltered
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Bulworth.
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