Kings

R

Released Apr 27, 2018

1 hr. 27 min.

Drama

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List

13%

40 Reviews

Tomatometer

31%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Millie is a hardworking, tough and protective Los Angeles single mother with an affection for homeless children. Her neighbor Obie is the local loose cannon -- and the only white man -- in an area largely inhabited by African-Americans, Latinos and Koreans. With racial tensions running high, Millie and Obie appear to be unlikely allies. But following the acquittal of four of the officers accused of beating Rodney King, the two of them must navigate the gathering chaos in the city.

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Critics Consensus

Kings has good intentions, a talented cast, and the basis for an incredible fact-based story; unfortunately, they don't amount to much more than a missed opportunity.

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Audience Member

Esse filme me machucou de várias maneiras possíveis, uma miscelânea de várias situações de racismo, como pano de fundo a revolta de Los Angeles, mas por outro lado deixou meu coração quentinho com o amor e caridade nos atos e gestos de Millie Dunbar, por mais pessoas assim, e Daniel Craig está ótimo como o vizinho valente beberrão e depois com as crianças, fofo… Por fim, se torna leve e divertido, me meio a toda revolta, e ocasionalmente angustiante, as crianças desconsertante…

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Ethan T

Look: films depicting such racially charged and pivotal events dripping with so much emotion will always get a free pass to some extent when exploring worthy themes with good intentions. One cannot really do that with this one, whether or not it is situated around the Rodney King violence and resulting riots. This is because the result of this project is a product so startlingly inept that it honestly immunizes itself from any piteous treatment that films like these would often benefit from. Let's start with the positives: Craig and Berry. Good actors, very good. How the mighty can fall. Just a shame that the roles both play are crafted ridiculously without a care for good plotting or characterization. We receive one of the most half-baked romances including an absolutely pointless sexual dream sequence with no point of reference or context whatsoever. Speaking of romance, the love triangle involving one of Berry's character's wards is equally uncalled for and melodramatic. Instead of an earnest view of true, important events, the audience is made to sit through an appalling orgy of random storylines set against a backdrop of this tension. Safe yourself the trouble.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/24/21

Full Review

nilufer e

It fell short on reflecting the events and the frustration of the people after Rodney King case I think. However it was a standard drama with amazing actors. Halle Berry is just fantastic.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I believe it concerns the absurdity of existence in such a threatening environment. The romantic comedy part was just an unsuccessful juxtapositioning of opposing emotions pointing towards our inability to match our own crisis.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

mauro l

Taken away the historical cut scenes, what's the movie even about? I was hoping to see something with substance and sadly the whole film is hectic and made me vainly wait for it to calm down and begin to tell a story. Only a catwalk for the two stars of the cast. (Mauro Lanari)

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I liked the story. couple things didn't really make sense but overall I get it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/19

Full Review

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Deniz Gamze Ergüven

Director

Halle Berry

Millie

Daniel Craig

Obie

Lamar Johnson

Jesse

Kaalan Walker

William

Rachel Hilson

Nicole

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Kings: Trailer 1

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Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

This dud recreation of the 1992 L.A. riots traps Halle Berry and Daniel Craig and a piece of momentous, civil-rights history in a crazyquilt of random action, absurdist humor, bogus romance and questionable purpose.

Rated: 0.5/4

Apr 28, 2018

Full Review

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

AV Club

It's possible to appreciate the film for recognizing both the horror and the absurdity in its subjects...and for playing exclusively in those extreme registers, yet still come to the conclusion that it's is all bark, no bite.

Rated: C+

Apr 27, 2018

Full Review

Odie Henderson

RogerEbert.com

Kings is clueless about its subject matter.

Rated: .5/4

Apr 27, 2018

Full Review

Kenneth Seward Jr.

IGN Movies

Kings' fragmented treatment fails in delivering a compelling story. It also lacks the depth and clarity needed to convey a solid message, which one can assume was the purpose given the liberal use of certain politically charged images and sound bites.

Rated: 4/10

Jul 26, 2023

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Even as pure dramatization, "Kings" is an irresponsibly aimless one.

Rated: 1/5

Feb 12, 2022

Full Review

Brigid Presecky

FF2 Media

A timely look at race relations in America dating back almost three decades, Kings is a cinematically impressive film with a messy, stunted script.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 19, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

Millie is a hardworking, tough and protective Los Angeles single mother with an affection for homeless children. Her neighbor Obie is the local loose cannon -- and the only white man -- in an area largely inhabited by African-Americans, Latinos and Koreans. With racial tensions running high, Millie and Obie appear to be unlikely allies. But following the acquittal of four of the officers accused of beating Rodney King, the two of them must navigate the gathering chaos in the city.

Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Executive Producer: Wei Han, Yee Yeo Chang, Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler, Charlotte Ubben, Olivier Gauriat
Screenwriter: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Distributor: The Orchard
Production Co: Maven Pictures, Scope Pictures, France Télévisions, Eyesteelfilm, The Orchard, Eurimages, CG Cinéma, France 2 Cinéma, StudioCanal
Rating: R (Sexual Content/Nudity|Language Throughout|Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 27, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 17, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $273.7K
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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