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No Way Out
1987 114 min United States of America R 16+
★7.5
Thriller, Drama
Director: Roger Donaldson
📖 Based on the novel
«The Big Clock»
byKenneth Fearing
Trailers
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Description
Navy Lt. Tom Farrell meets a young woman, Susan Atwell , and they share a passionate fling. Farrell then finds out that his superior, Defense Secretary David Brice, is also romantically involved with Atwell. When the young woman turns up dead, Farrell is put in charge of the murder investigation. He begins to uncover shocking clues about the case, but when details of his encounter with Susan surface, he becomes a suspect as well.
Budget:
$15M
US Gross:
$35.51M
Worldwide:
$35.51M
Starring
Kevin Costner
Actor
Gene Hackman
Actor
Sean Young
Actor
Awards
2 nominations total
Key opinion
No Way Out is a tense, stylish 1980s neo-noir thriller that successfully adapts The Big Clock for a Cold War Pentagon setting. While the film is praised for its suspenseful plot and surprising climactic twist, critics remain divided over its pacing and the appropriateness of the musical score.
| Acting | Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman deliver strong, convincing performances that anchor the political intrigue. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative structure provides a highly effective, labyrinthine experience that builds toward a shocking and unpredictable final twist. | |
| Production | The atmospheric use of real Washington D.C. locations provides a sense of visual authenticity and grounding for the thriller. | |
| Pacing | The film starts with a deliberate, slow-burn romantic drama in its first half before accelerating into an intense, high-stakes thriller in its second. | |
| Score | The electronic 1980s score is viewed by some as a stylish period asset, while others find it intrusive and tonally ill-suited to the tension. |