GoodWatchSign up

Local Hero

1983·Movie
1h 51min·PG
IMDb7.3Metacritic837.2Rotten Tomatoes100%87%

Where to watch

KanopyFandango at Home FreePlexTubi TVHowdy

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

What's your score?

Your score

Local Hero fingerprint

Striking style, low-key.

Energy

Calm and low-key

  • Fast Pace4
  • Spectacle4
  • Tension3

Heart

Wholesome and hopeful

  • Wholesome8
  • Hopefulness8
  • Wonder7

Humor

Some situational comedy and sharp wit

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Situational Comedy6
  • Wit & Wordplay5
  • Satire & Parody5

World

Everyday modern life, class and money, and society

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion8
  • Dialogue Centrality7
  • Rewatchability7

Craft

Standout performances

  • Acting8
  • Direction7
  • Narrative Structure7

Style

Standout cinematography and score

  • Cinematography8
  • Music Composition8
  • Music Centrality8

Who it's for

AdultsDate NightFamily Movie NightFriends NightIntergenerationalKidsPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensBackground WatchComfort WatchDrop-in FriendlyPure EscapismThought-Provoking

Skip it if

You want dark or edgy material

Find more like it

Feel Good moviesPeaceful moviesAtmospheric movies

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

A BEAUTIFUL COASTLINE... A RICH OIL MAN WANTS TO DEVELOP IT. A POOR BEACH BUM WANTS TO LIVE ON IT. AN ENTIRE TOWN WANTS TO PROFIT BY IT. AND A REAL-LIVE MERMAID WANTS TO SAVE IT... ONLY ONE OF THEM WILL GET THEIR WAY.

An American oil company sends a man to Scotland to buy up an entire village where they want to build a refinery. But things don't go as expected.
Quirky Scottish CharmMagical RealismSmall Town DynamicsOil Industry SatireCharacter-DrivenWarm & WhimsicalNostalgic VibeEnvironmentalism

Crew

Directed by:
Bill Forsyth, Jonathan Benson, Melvin Lind
Written by:
Bill Forsyth
Produced by:
David Puttnam, Susie Figgis, Iain Smith
Composed by:
Mark Knopfler, Louis Kramer, Lionel Strutt

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Local Hero

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Local Hero legally?

KanopyFandango at Home FreePlexTubi TVHowdy

You can watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Fandango at Home Free, and YouTube Free. You can also rent or buy it from Apple TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Google Play Movies. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is Local Hero worth watching?

83
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes. It's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 83/100 (IMDb 7.3, Rotten Tomatoes 100%, and Metacritic 83). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Local Hero rated?

PG

It's rated PG in the United States.

How long is Local Hero?

1 h 51 min

Local Hero runs 1 h 51 min.

Do critics and audiences agree on Local Hero?

Critics92
Audiences77

Not quite. Critics rate Local Hero higher (92) than audiences (77). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

Was Local Hero a box office hit?

Budget$4 million
Box office$6 million

Roughly broke even. It cost about $4 million to make and earned $6 million worldwide, 1.4 times its budget.

What language is Local Hero in?

EnglishRussianJapanese

It was made in English, with some Russian, Japanese. Produced in United Kingdom.

In how many countries can I watch Local Hero?

25ATAUBEBMCACHDEEGESFRGBGGHRIE+11

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for Local Hero in 25 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does Local Hero use?

Magic RealismDouble EntendreThe ConGood Cannot Comprehend EvilAirplane ArmsOur Mermaids Are DifferentConspicuous TrenchcoatLoners Are FreaksLook Both WaysFunny Background EventAnd StarringAwesome Musicand 45 more

TV Tropes lists 57 storytelling tropes for Local Hero, including Magic Realism, Double Entendre, The Con.