The Longest Yard

Play trailer

4:06

The Longest Yard

R

1974

2h 1m

Comedy

Drama

Crime

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

39 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

An ex-football star doing time is forced by the warden to organize a team of inmates to play against his own line-up of guards. The warden tries to blackmail him into throwing the game, but the convicts have their own ideas and see the game as an opportunity to repay some of the brutality they have endured.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Equal parts tough and funny, and led by a perfectly cast Burt Reynolds, The Longest Yard has an interesting political subtext and an excellent climax -- even if it takes too long to get there.

Read Critics Reviews

Patrick Gibbs

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Apr 2, 2026

It took me some time to appreciate the originality of what comes out as a very black and crazy comedy.

Go to Full Review

Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Sep 25, 2023

It's certainly crudely made, however, with Eddie Albert overplaying by even the broadest standards, and Aldrich cutting to him for reaction shots that have all the visual interest of stones hitting one on the head.

Go to Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Aug 4, 2008

An outstanding action drama, combining the brutish excitement of football competition with the brutalities of contemporary prison life.

Go to Full Review

Michael Billington

Birmingham Post

Apr 6, 2026

A brutish, boorish, hairy chested movie of the kind that gives masculinity a bad name.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 31, 2023

3.5/4

One of the best and brightest films on Burt's resume.

Go to Full Review

Alistair Lawrence

Common Sense Media

Nov 29, 2022

2/5

Part of the problem is its length. At just over two hours, the final act drags like an actual football game playing out in real time.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Robert P

@Superbad Sep 11, 2026

The longest yard = a *4* star Movie!

See more

Matthew L

@Mattog1 Jun 14, 2026

Amazing movie. Burt at his finest

See more

thiago S

@Thiagostone Jun 8, 2026

Filme bacaninha, o roteiro é mais ou menos, as cenas são bacaninhas, a história é mais ou menos, o elenco é mais ou menos, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são mais ou menos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes.

See more

Christian K

@ckacar Apr 10, 2026

Has a surprising attention to the details of the rules for an no ejections guards vs prisoners game.

See more

rex w

@RT11010153 Feb 21, 2026

It's hard to believe that I once thought "The Longest Yard" was entertaining. 50 years later, I see it as one of the worst movies I've ever seen. It is sexist, racist, stupid, poorly written, directed, and acted.

See more

Gabriel M

@Anonymous12 Jan 31, 2026

The Longest Yard is a surprisingly strong mix of comedy, drama, and sports that holds up better than I expected. Burt Reynolds is excellent here, playing a flawed but charismatic lead, and the prison football concept works really well. The humor feels natural and not forced, and the movie balances laughs with genuinely intense moments. What really makes this film stand out is that it has more substance than Smokey and the Bandit. While Smokey leans mostly on style and light comedy, The Longest Yard actually gives you something to invest in emotionally. The underdog story, the rough prison setting, and the build-up to the final game keep the movie engaging throughout. The football scenes are entertaining and rough around the edges in a way that fits the tone, and the supporting cast adds a lot of personality.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Robert Aldrich

Director

Burt Reynolds

Paul Crewe

Eddie Albert

Warden Hazen

Ed Lauter

Captain Knauer

Michael Conrad

Nate Scarboro

James Hampton

Caretaker

The Longest Yard: Official Clip - A 15 Minute Romp

1:22

Now Playing

The Longest Yard: Official Clip - The Longest Yard

2:13

Now Playing

The Longest Yard: Official Clip - Game Ball

2:12

Now Playing

The Longest Yard: Official Clip - Ball Breaker

2:11

Now Playing

The Longest Yard: Official Clip - An All-American Son of a Bitch

2:09

Now Playing

The Longest Yard: Official Clip - Team Recruitment

2:13

Now Playing

The Longest Yard: Official Clip - A Broken Nose

2:12

Now Playing

The Longest Yard: Official Clip - Saturday Night Special

2:12

Now Playing

View more videos

North Dallas Forty

85%

70%

North Dallas Forty

Watchlist

Catch-22

81%

76%

Catch-22

Watchlist

The Fisher King

84%

85%

The Fisher King

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Fisher King

Mean Machine

32%

72%

Mean Machine

Watchlist

The Last Detail

87%

87%

The Last Detail

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Longest Yard: Trailer 1

4:06

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

An ex-football star doing time is forced by the warden to organize a team of inmates to play against his own line-up of guards. The warden tries to blackmail him into throwing the game, but the convicts have their own ideas and see the game as an opportunity to repay some of the brutality they have endured.

Director: Robert Aldrich
Producer: Albert S. Ruddy
Screenwriter: Tracy Keenan Wynn
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Ruddy Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Crime
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 30, 1974, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2014
Runtime: 2h 1m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings