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Trailer

The Pledge

2001Movie2 h 4 minR

CrimeDrama
69
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb6.7Letterboxd3.3/5Metacritic717.0Rotten Tomatoes78%58%

A relentlessly bleak, gripping crime movie about everyday modern life and crime.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for laughs, warmth or uplift.

Movies with

Story

Detective Jerry Black has made a promise he can't break, to catch a killer he can't find.

A police chief, about to retire, pledges to help a woman find her daughter's killer.

Feels like

  • Dark Crime Mystery
  • Psychological Thriller
  • Bleak Atmosphere
  • Character-Driven
  • Moral Ambiguity
  • Grief and Obsession
  • Outstanding Performances
  • Noir Influences
  • Slow Burn

Cast

24 of 26

Crew

Directed by
Sean Penn
Written by
Jerzy Kromolowski, Mary Olson-Kromolowski
Produced by
Sean Penn, Michael Fitzgerald, Elie Samaha
Music by
Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt

Everyone

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

Facts

January 19, 2001 · 2 h 4 min · R

Released
January 19, 2001
Runtime
2 h 4 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Strong Language
Genres
Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$35 million
Box office
$29 million
Available in
75 countries

Tropes

Black Comedy Burst, Chekhov's Gun, Children as Pawns +9

  • Black Comedy Burst
  • Chekhov's Gun
  • Children as Pawns
  • Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism
  • Enhanced Interrogation Techniques
  • Anti-Hero
  • Determinator
  • Animal Motifs
  • Torches and Pitchforks
  • The Promise
  • Red Herring
  • Setting Update

12 of 42 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream The Pledge?"

Questions about The Pledge

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Pledge?

NetflixPrimeHulufuboTVPeacockPhiloThe RokuKanopy

In the United States, The Pledge streams on Netflix, Prime, Hulu, fuboTV, and Peacock, and it is free with ads on The Roku, Kanopy, Hoopla, Fandango at Home Free, Shout! Factory TV, Plex, Fawesome, Xumo Play, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 70 other countries.

Is The Pledge worth watching?

69
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 69 (IMDb 6.7, Letterboxd 3.3 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 78%, and Metacritic 71). Critics rate it higher (75 out of 100) than audiences (65).

Will I feel good after watching The Pledge?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Was The Pledge a box office flop?

Budget$35 million
Box office$29 million

Yes: it cost about $35 million to make and earned $29 million worldwide, 84% of its budget.

What tropes does The Pledge use?

Black Comedy BurstChekhov's GunChildren as PawnsSliding Scale of Idealism Versus CynicismEnhanced Interrogation TechniquesAnti-HeroDeterminatorAnimal MotifsTorches and PitchforksThe PromiseRed HerringSetting Updateand 30 more

TV Tropes lists 42 tropes for it, including Black Comedy Burst, Chekhov's Gun, and Children as Pawns.