News of the World (2020)

A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will. They travel hundreds of miles and face grave dangers as they search for a place that either can call home.

Director:

Paul Greengrass

Writers:

Paul Greengrass (screenplay by), Luke Davies (screenplay by)

Stars:

Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Tom Astor

18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hanks	...	Captain Kidd
Helena Zengel	...	Johanna
Tom Astor	...	Cavalry Lieutenant
Travis Johnson	...	Cavalry Rider (as John Travis Johnson)
Andy Kastelic	...	Union Duty Officer
Ray McKinnon	...	Simon Boudlin
Mare Winningham	...	Doris Boudlin
Jeffrey Ware	...	Red River Heckler
Chris Bylsma	...	Red River Heckler
Justin Tade	...	Red River Heckler
Darrin Giossi	...	Federal Soldier
Brenden Wedner	...	Young Progressive Speaker
Elizabeth Marvel	...	Mrs. Gannett
Michael Angelo Covino	...	Almay
Clay James	...	Almay's Man

Storyline

Five years after the end of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks), a veteran of three wars, now moves from town to town as a non-fiction storyteller, sharing the news of presidents and queens, glorious feuds, devastating catastrophes, and gripping adventures from the far reaches of the globe. On the plains of Texas, he crosses paths with Johanna (Helena Zengel), a 10-year-old taken in by the Kiowa people six years earlier and raised as one of their own. Johanna, hostile to a world she's never experienced, is being returned to her biological aunt and uncle against her will. Kidd agrees to deliver the child where the law says she belongs. As they travel hundreds of miles into the unforgiving wilderness, the two will face tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces as they search for a place that either can call home.

---

Plot Keywords:

1800s | rescue | wild west | cowboy | western movie | 

---

Taglines:

Find Where You Belong

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Western

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, thematic material and some language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paul Greengrass said in an interview in the New York Times on 12/30/2020 how this movie "is the first film I made with a child actor at the heart of it" and he thought that it would be very difficult to cast the role of Johanna but when he saw Helena Zenge's audition, he said she "was the only person I really had to look at" and that it "was the easiest decision in the film".

---

Goofs

Captain Kidd fires 12 shots from a 6 shooter pistol without reloading while fighting in the hills.

---

Quotes

Captain Kidd: See all those words printed in a line one after the other? Put 'em all together and you have a story.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Graham Norton Show: Tom Hanks/Jessica Chastain/Emily Blunt/Jamie Dornan/Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall/Nish Kumar/Sophie Ellis-Baxtor (2020)

---

Soundtracks

Prairie Dog Song
Traditional

User Reviews

Ominous, hardscrabble western cobbled together across the Texas landscape

Tom Hanks is a 19th century newsman who reads newspaper stories to townsfolk in Texas. On his route of numerous locations, he comes across a young German-born girl who has been living under the care of native Americans who have been slaughtered. He takes it upon himself as her new guardian to escort her across the countryside to safety in the hope of finding her a new home. Along the way, they achieve an expected bond as two lonely souls in a treacherous world of danger of adversity.

Hanks is great as always, as the film is told from his weary, anguished eyes. But newcomer Helena Zengel steals the film from right underneath him with a mesmerizing performance as a young girl traumatized by personal tragedy, untrusting of the world around her and just beginning to learn her communication. Together, they bring this rugged journey to life. Director Paul Greengrass makes a vivid recreation of 19th century American wilderness, a land of difficult terrain and occasionally bitter climate. Through it all, it becomes a battle for survival for both the old man and the child he is protecting. An old school tale of American grit, this one is expertly crafted and highly recommended.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Instagram

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

25 December 2020 (USA)

Also Known As:

News of the World

Filming Locations:

Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,250,430, 27 December 2020

Gross USA:

$9,728,465

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,728,465

Company Credits

Production Co:

Perfect World Pictures, Playtone, Pretty Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1