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Trailer

Once Upon a Time in America

1984Movie2 h 19 minR

CrimeDrama
83
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb8.3Metacritic758.3Rotten Tomatoes86%93%

A profoundly sad, slow-burning drama movie about crime and history, with standout direction and performances.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing · you want to half-watch while scrolling

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

Crime, passion and lust for power.

A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.

Feels like

  • Epic Crime Saga
  • Operatic Melancholy
  • Nostalgic New York
  • Non-Linear Narrative
  • Tragic Brotherhood
  • Visually Stunning
  • Haunting Score
  • Slow-Burn Drama
  • Moral Ambiguity
  • Cinematic Masterpiece

Cast

24 of 41

Crew

Directed by
Sergio Leone
Written by
Sergio Leone, Leonardo Benvenuti, Franco Ferrini
Produced by
Arnon Milchan
Music by
Ennio Morricone

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

May 23, 1984 · 2 h 19 min · R

Released
May 23, 1984
Runtime
2 h 19 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Drug Use
Genres
Drama, Crime
Original language
English
Also spoken
French, Hebrew, Italian, Yiddish
Made in
Italy, United States
Budget
$30 million
Box office
$6 million
Available in
72 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

Cruel Mercy, Adaptation Title Change, All Just a Dream +9

  • Cruel Mercy
  • Adaptation Title Change
  • All Just a Dream
  • Strong Family Resemblance
  • Time-Shifted Actor
  • I Love the Dead
  • Punctuated Pounding
  • Anachronic Order
  • Just a Gangster
  • Miss Kitty
  • Berserk Button
  • The Chessmaster

12 of 77 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream Once Upon a Time in America?"

Questions about Once Upon a Time in America

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Once Upon a Time in America?

PrimeCriterionPlex

In the United States, Once Upon a Time in America streams on Prime and Criterion, and it is free with ads on Plex. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 63 other countries.

Is Once Upon a Time in America worth watching?

83
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 83 (IMDb 8.3, Rotten Tomatoes 86%, and Metacritic 75).

Can I half-watch Once Upon a Time in America?

Easy watchDemanding

No, it needs your attention: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for non-linear narrative and 8 for complexity.

Will I feel good after watching Once Upon a Time in America?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 10 of 10 for melancholy and 9 for bleakness, against 2 for hopefulness.

Was Once Upon a Time in America a box office flop?

Budget$30 million
Box office$6 million

Yes: it cost about $30 million to make and earned $6 million worldwide, 18% of its budget.

What tropes does Once Upon a Time in America use?

Cruel MercyAdaptation Title ChangeAll Just a DreamStrong Family ResemblanceTime-Shifted ActorI Love the DeadPunctuated PoundingAnachronic OrderJust a GangsterMiss KittyBerserk ButtonThe Chessmasterand 65 more

TV Tropes lists 77 tropes for it, including Cruel Mercy, Adaptation Title Change, and All Just a Dream.