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American Gun

  • 2005
  • R
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
Donald Sutherland, Marcia Gay Harden, Forest Whitaker, and Linda Cardellini in American Gun (2005)
Drama

Seemingly disparate portraits of people -- among them a single mother, a high school principal, and an ace student -- Distinctly American -- all affected by the proliferation of guns in Amer... Read allSeemingly disparate portraits of people -- among them a single mother, a high school principal, and an ace student -- Distinctly American -- all affected by the proliferation of guns in American society.Seemingly disparate portraits of people -- among them a single mother, a high school principal, and an ace student -- Distinctly American -- all affected by the proliferation of guns in American society.

  • Director
    • Aric Avelino
  • Writers
    • Steven Bagatourian
    • Aric Avelino
  • Stars
    • Marcia Gay Harden
    • Forest Whitaker
    • Donald Sutherland
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    3.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Aric Avelino
    • Writers
      • Steven Bagatourian
      • Aric Avelino
    • Stars
      • Marcia Gay Harden
      • Forest Whitaker
      • Donald Sutherland
    • 29User reviews
    • 26Critic reviews
    • 48Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations total

    Photos41

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    Top cast58

    Edit
    Marcia Gay Harden
    Marcia Gay Harden
    • Janet Huttenson
    Forest Whitaker
    Forest Whitaker
    • Carter
    Donald Sutherland
    Donald Sutherland
    • Carl Wilk
    Linda Cardellini
    Linda Cardellini
    • Mary Ann Wilk
    Lisa Long
    Lisa Long
    • Sandra Cohen
    Chris Warren
    Chris Warren
    • Marcus
    • (as Chris Warren Jr.)
    David Heymann
    David Heymann
    • Producer
    Christopher Rodriguez Marquette
    Christopher Rodriguez Marquette
    • David Huttenson
    • (as Chris Marquette)
    Amanda Seyfried
    Amanda Seyfried
    • Mouse
    Nikki Reed
    Nikki Reed
    • Tally
    Joseph Kell
    Joseph Kell
    • Security Guard
    Tony Goldwyn
    Tony Goldwyn
    • Frank
    Rex Linn
    Rex Linn
    • Earl
    Kevin Phillips
    Kevin Phillips
    • Reggie
    Davenia McFadden
    • Felicia
    Schuyler Fisk
    Schuyler Fisk
    • Cicily
    Michael Shannon
    Michael Shannon
    • Jerry
    • (as Michael J. Shannon)
    Arlen Escarpeta
    Arlen Escarpeta
    • Jay
    • Director
      • Aric Avelino
    • Writers
      • Steven Bagatourian
      • Aric Avelino
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews29

    6.13.2K
    1
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    Featured reviews

    9ctg0724

    one of the few

    I watched Crash. I thought it was decent. Oscar worthy? Absolutely not. I watched Babel. I thought it was absolutely terrible. If you go to the comments on that movie, you will find what I wrote about it. I watched Magnolia. Another decent type of these, but nothing I would watch over again. All of these movies got quite a bit of notice. Whether they deserved it or not, I don't really know.

    But what I do know is that American Gun deserved some serious attention. This movie, which clearly had a lower budget than all of those other movies, was the greatest film of the multiple stories genre.

    Maybe it's just because I don't consider "racism bad" a good enough message in a movie for the past two decades (except American History X); I think gun violence, especially in high schools, is one of the most important issues in our country. This movie just managed to get under my skin and rip out emotion from me a lot better than most movies I have seen. This movie should have received the Oscar that Crash won. It was completed before Crash. Forrest Whitaker alone is better than every actor and actress in Crash combined.

    Few films pull off the loosely connected people style very well. It annoys me when a movie filled with A-list celebrities gets noticed because of it. American Gun is one of the few that didn't get that notice and deserved it.
    8bellino-angelo2014

    Good indie movie about real situations

    In AMERICAN GUN guns are examined from the perspective of four different stories after one tragic accident similar to the Florida one in 2018.

    Janet (Marcia Gay Harden) is the mother of the teenager who shot in his Oregon school and is scorned by her neighbours while also being worried about her brother son that has the same age of the kid when he committed that terrible act. Carter (Forest Whitaker) is the high school principal that struggles everyday for keeping the school safe from guns until he discovers that his son has bought a gun. Mary Ann Wilk (Linda Cardellini) is a West Coast girl that is displaced to a Virginia college and in her free time works in her grandfather (Donald Sutherland)'s gun shop. Frank (Tony Goldwyn) is a cop who is constantly criticized for having arrived late at the shooting and has some sort of burden in his conscience for this.

    While watching I found AMERICAN GUN very interesting despite at times the loud music was annoying and the stories looked a bit disjointed. Maybe because it features many great actors and they all give good performances. I loved it? Not exactly, but I admire it for being different and kinda actual despite it was released in 2005. And I think this movie is better than most of the reviews I read... are we always watching the same movie??
    9meggiet

    Whether you are pro or anti-gun, this movie will make you question what you believe

    "American Gun" is an amazing, quiet movie that packs so much into an hour and 37 minutes. It's about the lives, ones of desperation and defeat, that different people around the nation live with every day, ones affected by guns.

    Marcia Gay Harden plays a single mother whose son participated in a shooting at his high school and was killed. Even though that was years ago, she lives trapped in that time, that single moment that shaped her life and her younger son's life forever. For anyone who heard about the tragedy at Columbine, saw the footage and were outraged, for anyone who thought, "What were the parents doing? Why didn't they stop those children from taking guns into that school?" this movie shows the other side. And will make you think.

    Linda Cardellini is a college student who works in her grandfather's (played by Donald Sutherland) gun shop. She's uncomfortable around him, around the shop, but family obligation keep there day after day.

    Arlen Escarpeta plays Jay, an African-American high school student who carries a gun to school. But he's also a straight A student and takes care of his mother and younger siblings.

    At the heart of this movie is Carter (Forest Whitaker), a principal at Jay's high school, a man who is there to make a difference. He talks to those kids, he tries to make them understand there's more to life than guns and gangs. He's so dedicated that sometimes he neglects his own family to help others.

    There are no easy stereotypes in this movie, no pat answers. No one is simply one thing. The main characters are real, sometimes unrelentingly horrible, sometimes kind to each other. Whether you are pro or anti-gun, this movie will make you question what you believe and give you something to think about.
    7meeza

    It is no "Crash" but it did fire me up at times!

    It is no "bullet-shit" that the enthralling independent film "American Gun" does fire major points on the American gun control issue within its intertwining plot. However, it is also no "bullet-shit" that "American Gun" did misfire with one of its story lines. A la "Crash", "American Gun" includes various characters within several story lines that focus on a controversial social issue. What struck me about "Crash" was its creative precision to detail on how the social issue (in 'Crash"- racism) all interconnected. In "American Gun" there are separate situations that are "bullet-proof", but hold no fundamental connective qualities on the gun control issue.

    Here are my on-target shots of "American Gun": 1) On target: Marcia Gay Harden was mesmerizing as a mother of a fallen youth assailant who murdered several students and teachers in school grounds three years ago. Her story focuses on how she combatively tries to overcome the tragedy , and her challenge to supersede the pain by avidly trying to support her other son. 2) On target: Forest Whitaker's captivating performance as a high school principal who is dealt with the challenge of a youth gun control problem at the school he pilots. In other words, "Run, Forest, Run" before your students run the asylum well-armed. 3) On target: Tony Goldwyn's golden acting duty portraying a police officer who is guilt-ridden that he could not be more proactive in preventing the aforementioned school violence tragedy. 4) On target: Novice Writer-Director Aric Avelino's film-making & screen writing machinery efforts in the School Gun Control and the Grieving Mother/Remorseful Officer story lines.

    Here are the misfires of "American Gun": 1) Misfire: Donald Sutherland's phlegmatic performance as a gun owner who tries to connect with his alienated granddaughter. 2) Misfire: The aforementioned storyline which had no relevance or impact to the American gun control issue. In other words, it had me gunning for more.

    OK, that's it! I am a gunner , I mean "goner" with this one! *** Average
    7rdstr900

    Very worthwhile...

    I disagree with the people who think that nothing sticks out in this movie.

    I saw it and was amazed at some of the things that were said and shown.

    Sure, there may have been some exaggerated intensity, but isn't that sometimes necessary to prove a point.

    Do you think that the real lives of people who have to carry guns to school, are robbed at gun point, or live a threatened life are calm, relaxed, or peaceful? No. Those lives can be full of anxiety, violence, and much intensity!

    I think this movie provides a great view of something that is ripping apart our society before our very eyes.

    Hats off to the film makers!

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      While shooting scenes with Forest Whitaker and 'Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon' in an LA neighborhood, the arrival of Britney Spears halted production. She was visiting a friend in the house next door, trailed by several shouting paparazzi photographers.
    • Goofs
      When David is drawing the tattoo on Tally's leg, she takes her glasses off and places them beside her. In the next cut her glasses are on, and in the next cut her glasses are off.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Making of American Gun (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      The Good Stuff
      Written by Schuyler Fisk and Dave Bassett

      Performed by Schuyler Fisk

      Courtesy of Universal Music Enterprises

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    FAQ18

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 26, 2007 (Bahrain)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Американское оружие
    • Filming locations
      • California, USA
    • Production companies
      • IFC Films
      • Participant
      • Spirit Dance Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $24,098
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $9,355
      • Mar 26, 2006
    • Gross worldwide
      • $44,178
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    Donald Sutherland, Marcia Gay Harden, Forest Whitaker, and Linda Cardellini in American Gun (2005)
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