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Blow Out

Play trailer Poster for Blow Out R 1981 1h 48m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 59 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
While recording sound effects for a slasher flick, Jack Terri (John Travolta) stumbles upon a real-life horror: a car careening off a bridge and into a river. Jack jumps into the water and fishes out Sally (Nancy Allen) from the car, but the other passenger is already dead -- a governor intending to run for president. As Jack does some investigating of his tapes, and starts a perilous romance with Sally, he enters a tangled web of conspiracy that might leave him dead.

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Blow Out

Blow Out

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Critics Consensus

With a story inspired by Antonioni's Blow Up and a style informed by the high-gloss suspense of Hitchcock, DePalma's Blow Out is raw, politically informed, and littered with film references.

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Critics Reviews

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Eric Henderson Slant Magazine 09/09/2022
It’s the death of the ‘60s and ‘70s that haunts Blow Out and has arguably inflated its reputation among those incapable of recognizing anything good in, say, The Fury. Go to Full Review Kevin Maher The Times (UK) 05/21/2021
5/5
A horror movie, a paranoid political drama and a serial killer flick all at once. Go to Full Review Bruce McCabe Boston Globe 04/27/2018
It's a Xerox of a movie that's nowhere near as indelible as the originals it purports to emulate. Go to Full Review Alan Jones Radio Times Jul 2
4/5
Nothing is what it seems in a paranoid mystery that's overflowing with De Palma's trademark high style and cinematic technique right up until the knockout, downbeat ending. Go to Full Review Noah Berlatsky Splice Today 02/27/2025
In Blow Out, the beauty of the movie, as perhaps the beauty of life, is in its failures. Go to Full Review Brian Susbielles InSession Film 02/14/2023
Blow Out is among the top movies about moviemaking because it uses sound so cleverly and as the driving force to investigating what happened and the danger the lurks for his snooping. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jason H @RT50328122 Apr 10 It's good for the first hour or so, but it falls apart in the second half. See more Lloyd S @Lloyd93 Mar 9 This is a really good movie! Great soundtrack as well. A must watch. See more Lucas D @Lucas.Dorner Feb 2 Good movie, great acting by John Travolta, great soundtrack, nice story however, there where still parts which felt unnecessary or dragged too much. I still really recommend this movie to everyone who likes Drama, Horror and Thriller. See more Vincent S @Vin_E_At_The_Movies Jan 21 This is Brian DePalma's best movie of his career in a great career in directing from one of my favorites. This paranoid political, conspiracy thriller contains John Travolta's best performance of his career in my opinion. Nancy Allen and John Lithgow are also outstanding, Allen is vulnerable and funny, Lithgow is scary in a subtle way. The direction, the music score and intense action scenes are perfection. This flawless thriller also has heart as we grow to love Sally and Jack's relationship through the chemistry of Travolta and Allen, giving this bleak, entertaining thriller heart. See more Luca D @JoeCamel7 Jan 19 Great music, great plot, great soundtrack. Decent acting. Definitely a Philly classic and a fun adaptation of Blow Up. A nice mystery movie to watch and definitely a must see if your from Philly. Would definitely watch this again especially with the 250th anniversary happening this year in the same neighborhood the climax was filmed in during the parade scene. See more Taiga B @Taiga Dec 6 An absolute brilliant film. The story line is very unique and very fresh. John Travolta, Nancy Allen and John Lithgow all play their characters very well. It has a dark undertone, but also a very artistic one as well. You can tell the care for detail of the sound design due to the movie revolving around the job of Travolta's character picking up a blowout of a tire in a senator's assassination. The only part of this movie that should be critiqued is the car chase scene where John Travolta drives through the parade. It's a little too over the top and makes no sense that he wasn't arrested for his actions. This a classic that doesn't get enough love and may be the best role that Travolta has ever starred in. See more Read all reviews
Blow Out

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Cast & Crew

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Brian De Palma

Director

John Travolta

Jack Terry

Nancy Allen

Sally

John Lithgow

Burke

Dennis Franz

Manny Karp

Peter Boyden

Sam

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Blow Out

Blow Out (1981) Blow Out (1981) Blow Out (1981) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis While recording sound effects for a slasher flick, Jack Terri (John Travolta) stumbles upon a real-life horror: a car careening off a bridge and into a river. Jack jumps into the water and fishes out Sally (Nancy Allen) from the car, but the other passenger is already dead -- a governor intending to run for president. As Jack does some investigating of his tapes, and starts a perilous romance with Sally, he enters a tangled web of conspiracy that might leave him dead.
Director
Brian De Palma
Producer
George Litto
Screenwriter
Brian De Palma
Production Co
Filmways Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 24, 1981, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 1, 2017
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Surround
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