Motherless Brooklyn

64%

Tomatometer

221 Reviews

80%

Audience Score

2,500+ Verified Ratings

Lionel Essrog is a lonely private detective who doesn't let Tourette's syndrome stand in the way of his job. Gifted with a few clues and an obsessive mind, Lionel sets out to solve the murder of Frank Minna -- his mentor and only friend. Scouring the jazz clubs and slums of Brooklyn and Harlem, Essrog soon uncovers a web of secrets while contending with thugs, corruption and the most dangerous man in the city.

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Motherless Brooklyn

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Motherless Brooklyn's imposing length requires patience, but strong performances and a unique perspective make this a mystery worth investigating.

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Critics Reviews

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Motherless Brooklyn | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

If that sounds worthy, well-meaning and incredibly dull, I can only say that Norton makes it work, spinning it into a twisting narrative that, admittedly, does require your concentration.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 26, 2020

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Motherless Brooklyn | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

David Stratton

The Australian

The narrative and the characters are so interesting, and the whole theme...so riveting that Norton's immensely ambitious film succeeds as a compelling exercise in neo-film noir.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 25, 2020

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Motherless Brooklyn | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

The Blue Lenses

Motherless Brooklyn is a love-letter to the long-held focus across film noir on masculinity in crisis, but through Lethem's source material and Norton's deep engagement with it, something genuinely fresh explodes out of seemingly familiar material.

Dec 10, 2019

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Motherless Brooklyn | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Jillian Chilingerian

Offscreen With Jillian

It is an interesting idea but doesn't translate well off the page.

Aug 11, 2023

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Motherless Brooklyn | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

Bill Bria

Vague Visages

Motherless Brooklyn may not be a sterling example of traditional noir, but its subtext is gripping in its own way. The victim of this crime story isn’t a dead man or a damsel in distress, but the spirit of a city.

Jun 7, 2023

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Motherless Brooklyn | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Jane Freebury

The Canberra Times (Australia)

Motherless Brooklyn is an ambitious undertaking. It's a big-city story that champions the people versus the developers, an important, ongoing subject.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 23, 2022

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Audience Reviews

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Michael L With the star power in this movie I had HIGH expectations and it fell short of that but it was still an alright movie. If you waited for Red Box you wouldn't be disappointed. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/07/20 Full Review Karrien The story was interesting but not succinct. The plot progressed too slowly and somewhat unclearly. I felt that the movie was too long and that Alec Baldwin's role was not well-written. Baldwin's talents did not shine. He could have played a stronger and more dramatic role. Ed Norton's character was interesting and well played. Bruce Willis's role was short-lived, and that was a shame. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/31/19 Full Review marie78 Ed Norton is a great actor but this movie lacked a lot including development, purpose and it was far too long. I waited to see it when it made it to the “discount” theater and I still feel cheated (mostly of my time). I constantly checked my watch and even heard a man snoring in the middle of the movie. Please wait for this to hit Netflix or cable. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 12/20/19 Full Review Oscar Started out really slow in storyline/plot development. The last 25-30 minutes were very good. Norton’s acting was definitely Oscar worthy. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/03/19 Full Review Chigako Y if you are live in NYC, u got to see this movie! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/01/19 Full Review D It was a great detective noir film! Loved the characters and Alex Bladwins bad guy Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/30/19 Full Review Read all reviews

Motherless Brooklyn

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Cast & Crew

Ed Norton Director Ed Norton Lionel Essrog Gugu Mbatha-Raw Laura Rose Alec Baldwin Moses Randolph Willem Dafoe Paul Bruce Willis Frank Minna

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