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Poster for Bright Lights, Big City

Bright Lights, Big City

It's 6.00 am. Do you know where you are?

1988 · 1h 47m · R Drama, Romance
Directed by James Bridges

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Overview

A disillusioned young writer living in New York City turns to drugs and drinking to block out the memories of his dead mother and estranged wife.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
60%
Tomatometer
Fresh

Mr. Bridges may not have breathed fire into this material, but he has preserved most of its better qualities. He has treated it with intelligence, respect and no undue reverence, assembling a coherent film that resists any hint of exploitation.

Janet Maslin, New York Times
Rotten

The movie is like a Porsche outfitted with a lawn mower engine; there's not even enough juice to get the machine out of the driveway.

Hal Hinson, Washington Post
Fresh

Fox is very good in the central role (he has a long drunken monologue that is the best thing he has ever done in a movie).

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Fresh

Along the gruesome road to self-discovery, Bright Lights offers some entertaining, episodic, danceable highlights.

Desson Thomson, Washington Post

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