Atlantic City (1980)

100% of critics liked it
(19 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(4,637 ratings)

Burt Lancaster stars as Lou, an aging mob flunkey, barely making a living in Atlantic City. Susan Sarandon plays Sally, a casino croupier whose husband Dave (Robert Joy) steals a large supply of drugs from the mob. When he is killed, the narcotics pass to the unwilling Sally. Lou, in the midst of… More Burt Lancaster stars as Lou, an aging mob flunkey, barely making a living in Atlantic City. Susan Sarandon plays Sally, a casino croupier whose husband Dave (Robert Joy) steals a large supply of drugs from the mob. When he is killed, the narcotics pass to the unwilling Sally. Lou, in the midst of longtime affair with middle-aged gangster's widow Grace (Kate Reid), falls for the much younger Sally, becoming her savior by killing the mob thugs sent to shut her up. The killings serve a therapeutic value for Lou, proving that he hasn't lost his old panache. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 44 min.
Directed By: Louis Malle
Written By: John Guare
Genres: Drama, Romance, Art House & International

In Theaters: Sep 2, 1980 Wide
On DVD: May 14, 2002
Studio: Paramount Home Video

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
This lyrical tale set in Atlantic City in times of change is full of offbeat characters. It is evocatively directed by Louis Malle in his second (and better) American film and well acted by Burt Lancaster and Susan Sarandon as the odd romantic couple.
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum
Intriguing from beginning to end.
Brandon Judell, PopcornQ
If you don't already love Sarandon, this is the feature that would do it. Director and the 2 stars mesh their talents beautifully.
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
Poignant, atmospheric mood piece with pristine performances by Lancaster and Sarandon.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Pleasingly unsentimental.
Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)
Malle conjures a pair of cities, that of the present day and another fading beneath it. It's magically evocative and surprisingly funny, too. Lancaster is marvelous.
Betty Jo Tucker, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Susan Sarandon finally came into her own as a first-rate actress in this poignant 1981 Louis Malle film. She and Burt Lancaster create movie magic together. Well-deserved Oscar nominations (her first, his last) resulted from their outstanding work here.

Read all 7 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Tim S

Cool little gangster film starring the always entertaining, legendary Burt Lancaster. What I liked most about the movie was the connection between Lancaster's character and the city itself (run down, out with the old and in with the new). Susan Sarandon also does a great job in… More
Cool little gangster film starring the always entertaining, legendary Burt Lancaster. What I liked most about the movie was the connection between Lancaster's character and the city itself (run down, out with the old and in with the new). Susan Sarandon also does a great job in the film (she was so beautiful back then, but her acting style has not changed one bit over the years....not that it needed to). Louis Malle does a nice job with what could have been a run of the mill gangster story, keeping it light and with some nice touches here and there. Good choice for anyone looking to enjoy some Lancaster.
Lanning :

Teach me stuff. Maybe my favorite Burt Lancaster movie -- when it's the most recent one I've seen : ) I can never decide. So many good choices. The way he celebrates the killings is a great sequence. This is also, if not THE best, one of the top… More
Teach me stuff. Maybe my favorite Burt Lancaster movie -- when it's the most recent one I've seen : ) I can never decide. So many good choices. The way he celebrates the killings is a great sequence. This is also, if not THE best, one of the top Sarandon performances. And HEY! Don't touch the suit : )
Danny R

An absolutely brilliant film by the Louis Malle, this production is pure class and never lets up: it concerns a small group of losers and fools in Atlantic City; in the early 1980s where the glory days are gone and the old hotel casinos are being torn down to make way for the new mega… More
An absolutely brilliant film by the Louis Malle, this production is pure class and never lets up: it concerns a small group of losers and fools in Atlantic City; in the early 1980s where the glory days are gone and the old hotel casinos are being torn down to make way for the new mega hotel casinos, each one of them is pursuing their own fantasies and facing the hash dangers of the ruthless world. The late great Burt Lancaster delivers a tour-de-force performance that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor; he plays Lou, an aging small-time mob numbers runner who dreams of being a big-time mobster; Sally, played by wonderfully by Susan Sarandon in an Oscar nominated turn is Lou's next door neighbor who works in a casino salad bar while she trains to be a casino croupie, her dream is to work in a casino in France. Her worthless husband Dave, played superbly by Robert Joy who ran away with Sally's younger sister Chrissie has now stolen a large amount of cocaine from some very dangerous modsters in Philadelphia