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Motherless Brooklyn

  • 2019
  • R
  • 2h 24m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
65K
YOUR RATING
Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Motherless Brooklyn (2019)
Set against the backdrop of 1950s New York, 'Motherless Brooklyn' follows Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton), a private detective living with Tourette Syndrome, as he ventures to solve the murder of his mentor and only friend, Frank Minna (Bruce Willis). Armed only with a few clues and the engine of his obsessive mind, Lionel unravels closely-guarded secrets that hold the fate of the whole city in the balance.  In a mystery that carries him from gin-soaked jazz clubs in Harlem to the hard-edged slums of Brooklyn and, finally, into the gilded halls of New York's power brokers, Lionel contends with thugs, corruption and the most dangerous man in the city to honor his friend and save the woman who might be his own salvation.
Play trailer2:40
9 Videos
99+ Photos
Cop DramaPeriod DramaCrimeDramaMystery

In 1950s New York, Lionel, a private detective with Tourette syndrome, sets out to uncover the mystery behind his mentor and only friend Frank's murder. Scouring the jazz clubs and slums of ... Read allIn 1950s New York, Lionel, a private detective with Tourette syndrome, sets out to uncover the mystery behind his mentor and only friend Frank's murder. Scouring the jazz clubs and slums of Brooklyn, he soon uncovers a web of secrets.In 1950s New York, Lionel, a private detective with Tourette syndrome, sets out to uncover the mystery behind his mentor and only friend Frank's murder. Scouring the jazz clubs and slums of Brooklyn, he soon uncovers a web of secrets.

  • Director
    • Edward Norton
  • Writers
    • Edward Norton
    • Jonathan Lethem
  • Stars
    • Edward Norton
    • Gugu Mbatha-Raw
    • Alec Baldwin
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    65K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Edward Norton
    • Writers
      • Edward Norton
      • Jonathan Lethem
    • Stars
      • Edward Norton
      • Gugu Mbatha-Raw
      • Alec Baldwin
    • 444User reviews
    • 184Critic reviews
    • 60Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 15 nominations total

    Videos9

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:40
    Official Trailer
    Motherless Brooklyn
    Trailer 2:32
    Motherless Brooklyn
    Motherless Brooklyn
    Trailer 2:32
    Motherless Brooklyn
    Motherless Brooklyn
    Trailer 2:40
    Motherless Brooklyn
    Edward Norton Talks 'Motherless Brooklyn,' Great Actors, and Creative Obstacles
    Clip 7:55
    Edward Norton Talks 'Motherless Brooklyn,' Great Actors, and Creative Obstacles
    Everything You Need to Know for TIFF 2019
    Clip 7:03
    Everything You Need to Know for TIFF 2019
    Motherless Brooklyn: Timely (Featurette)
    Featurette 1:34
    Motherless Brooklyn: Timely (Featurette)

    Photos393

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    Top cast64

    Edit
    Edward Norton
    Edward Norton
    • Lionel Essrog
    Gugu Mbatha-Raw
    Gugu Mbatha-Raw
    • Laura Rose
    Alec Baldwin
    Alec Baldwin
    • Moses Randolph
    Willem Dafoe
    Willem Dafoe
    • Paul Randolph
    Bruce Willis
    Bruce Willis
    • Frank Minna
    Ethan Suplee
    Ethan Suplee
    • Gilbert Coney
    Cherry Jones
    Cherry Jones
    • Gabby Horowitz
    Bobby Cannavale
    Bobby Cannavale
    • Tony Vermonte
    Dallas Roberts
    Dallas Roberts
    • Danny Fantl
    Josh Pais
    Josh Pais
    • William Lieberman
    Radu Spinghel
    • Giant Man
    Fisher Stevens
    Fisher Stevens
    • Lou
    Peter Gray Lewis
    Peter Gray Lewis
    • Mayor
    • (as Peter Lewis)
    Robert Wisdom
    Robert Wisdom
    • Billy Rose
    • (as Robert Ray Wisdom)
    Michael Kenneth Williams
    Michael Kenneth Williams
    • Trumpet Man
    Isaiah J. Thompson
    • King Rooster Piano Player
    Russell Hall
    • King Rooster Bassist
    Joe Farnsworth
    • King Rooster Drummer
    • Director
      • Edward Norton
    • Writers
      • Edward Norton
      • Jonathan Lethem
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Edward Norton met and consulted many members of the Tourette's Association of America to prepare for the role. The film has received approval from the organization as well.
    • Goofs
      When Lionel enters the club at night to find a dead body, we can see two crew members and boom mics on the left side.
    • Quotes

      Lionel Essrog: But there's no upside in lyin' to a woman who's smarter than you, so, I told her the truth.

    • Crazy credits
      Shauna Lyn... this is yours as much as mine.
    • Connections
      Featured in CTV News at 11:30 Toronto: Episode dated 10 September 2019 (2019)
    • Soundtracks
      Daily Battles
      Written by Thom Yorke

      Performed by Thom Yorke and Flea (as Michael Balzary)

    User reviews444

    Featured review
    7/10

    Just One Problem

    I found this film satisfying overall, but one anachronism distracted me and pulled me out of the 1950s setting. Lionel's symptoms of Tourette's syndrome, repetitive verbalizations of a rhyming nature, were accepted equanimously by everyone he encountered. No one displayed annoyance, made fun of him, or called him insulting names to cast aspersions about his intelligence. His repetitive touching of people on the shoulder as he faced them ought to have caused women to back away and men to knock his block off. They did neither. It was as if these 1950s characters had been taught the acceptance of people with disabilities that was not really commonplace until the 21st century. This is the biggest mystery in the movie.
    • gwen_chavarria
    • Nov 3, 2019
    • Permalink

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    FAQ21

    • How long is Motherless Brooklyn?Powered by Alexa
    • Surely Tom Waits the news stand owner at 35mins 35 sec...?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 1, 2019 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Instagram
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Huérfanos de Brooklyn
    • Filming locations
      • Washington Square Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA(Protest Square)
    • Production companies
      • Warner Bros.
      • Class 5 Films
      • Madison Wells
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $26,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $9,277,736
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,500,454
      • Nov 3, 2019
    • Gross worldwide
      • $18,577,736
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 24 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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