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The Pretenders

Original title: Pretenders
  • 20182018
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
4.9/10
554
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Pretenders (2018)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:15
1 Video
14 Photos
  • Drama
A love triangle involving a photographer, a director and an actress.A love triangle involving a photographer, a director and an actress.A love triangle involving a photographer, a director and an actress.
IMDb RATING
4.9/10
554
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • James Franco
  • Writer
    • Josh Boone
  • Stars
    • Juno Temple
    • James Franco
    • Jane Levy
Top credits
  • Director
    • James Franco
  • Writer
    • Josh Boone
  • Stars
    • Juno Temple
    • James Franco
    • Jane Levy
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
    • 14Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    The Pretenders
    Trailer 2:15
    The Pretenders

    Photos14

    Pretenders (2018)
    Mario Brassard in Pretenders (2018)
    James Franco and Juno Temple in Pretenders (2018)
    James Franco and Juno Temple in Pretenders (2018)
    Mustafa Shakir, Jane Levy, and Jack Kilmer in Pretenders (2018)
    Mustafa Shakir, Jane Levy, and Jack Kilmer in Pretenders (2018)
    Jane Levy in Pretenders (2018)
    Jacqueline Honulik, Shameik Moore, and Ashlyn Alessi in Pretenders (2018)
    Tyler Alvarez in Pretenders (2018)
    Tyler Alvarez in Pretenders (2018)
    Pretenders (2018)
    James Franco in Pretenders (2018)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Juno Temple
    Juno Temple
    • Victoriaas Victoria
    James Franco
    James Franco
    • Maxwellas Maxwell
    Jane Levy
    Jane Levy
    • Catherineas Catherine
    Dennis Quaid
    Dennis Quaid
    • Joeas Joe
    Brian Cox
    Brian Cox
    • Henryas Henry
    Jack Kilmer
    Jack Kilmer
    • Terryas Terry
    Shameik Moore
    Shameik Moore
    • Philas Phil
    Tyler Alvarez
    Tyler Alvarez
    • Dougas Doug
    Mustafa Shakir
    Mustafa Shakir
    • Mr. Stanishas Mr. Stanish
    Antoni Porowski
    Antoni Porowski
    • Antonias Antoni
    Danielle Burgess
    Danielle Burgess
    • Madelineas Madeline
    Mathilde Dehaye
    Mathilde Dehaye
    • Prostituteas Prostitute
    Reema Sampat
    Reema Sampat
    • Angelaas Angela
    Tamzin Brown
    Tamzin Brown
    • Jodieas Jodie
    Denisa Juhos
    Denisa Juhos
    • 1970's Modelas 1970's Model
    Nana Ghana
    Nana Ghana
    • Brunette Model Partieras Brunette Model Partier
    Lindsay Mushett
    Lindsay Mushett
    • Prostituteas Prostitute
    Jacqueline Honulik
    Jacqueline Honulik
    • Kimas Kim
    • Director
      • James Franco
    • Writer
      • Josh Boone
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Anton Yelchin was in talks to be part of the film until his unexpected death in 2016
    • Goofs
      The movie starts off in 1979. While Catherine is talking about the play she is in as being a Feminist rendition of the film Last Tango in Paris, Terry brings up the butter scene. And how Maria Schneider had said she felt violated by the whole ordeal. This wasn't revealed until an interview she did in 2007.

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    SMOKIN'
    Best catch this movie before it disappears, whoops, too late. Here's what you missed. Buried somewhere In the ever expanding James Franco universe - seems this was made back in 2016 - The Pretenders, or Pretenders not only has a flippy-floppy title but a plot that does likewise.

    What starts out as an interesting ode to new wave French cinema, forming a soft-focused love triangle full of fresh faced hope, aspiring arteests, and constant chain smoking, devolves into a bit of a mess. Too bad, cuz the first course is quite yummy. As aspiring filmmaker Terry (Jack Kilmer, son of Val, inheritor of stoic face and acting skill) falls for an Anna Karina lookalike in the theatre crowd whilst watching, wait for it, Anna Karina on the big screen. They meet over smokes (natch), but poor Terry needs some nudging and prodding from his Casanova photographer pal Phil to get to first base. You know where this is going, but do you?

    Bed hopping ensues, feelings are viciously attacked, confusion prevails, time passes (though no one ages - natch), and just when everything seems to be coming full circle for the boffo ending, we find a red herring swimming in the soup.

    Shame, cuz the lead up is quite good, and anyone fond of the French will surely be pleased with themselves pointing out the stream of referential material, but is it enough when the clumsy wrap dethrones all that throning? Probably not. Still worth it for breakout star Jane Levy as the mysterious object d'amour, and the puzzling and super short appearance by wizened Dennis Quaid as the grumpy dad, which makes absolutely no sense at all, but there it is. Bet there's several alternate endings on the upcoming DVD version.
    helpful•13
    4
    • js-66130
    • Oct 11, 2019

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 27, 2019 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Twitter
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Pretenders
    • Production companies
      • SSS Entertainment
      • Rabbit Bandini Films
      • Yale Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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