Colors (1988)

82% of critics liked it
(28 reviews)
66% of users liked it
(27,157 ratings)

Colors stars Robert Duvall and Sean Penn as partners on the LAPD's gang crime division. Duvall had hoped to spend more time with his family, but he's pulled back into active service because of a step-up in gang activity. He makes no secret of his contempt for his novice partner Penn, but eventually… More Colors stars Robert Duvall and Sean Penn as partners on the LAPD's gang crime division. Duvall had hoped to spend more time with his family, but he's pulled back into active service because of a step-up in gang activity. He makes no secret of his contempt for his novice partner Penn, but eventually comes to rely on the younger man as a valuable street contact. The central crisis is the battle for supremacy between the "Crips" and the "Bloods", with every effort to call a truce stymied by the gang members themselves and by undue police intervention. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr.
Directed By: Dennis Hopper
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Apr 15, 1988 Wide
On DVD: Oct 2, 2001
Studio: Orion Home Video

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Colors is a solidly crafted depiction of some current big-city horrors and succeeds largely because of the Robert Duvall-Sean Penn teaming as frontline cops. They're terrific together as members of the gang crime division of the LAPD.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
Though its story has the makings of standard stuff, and is sometimes sketchily told, nothing about 'Colors is ordinary.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
It's an exhilarating sparring match between Duvall's workmanlike fine-tuning and Penn's raw energy.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
There's great pleasure in watching these two actors work. And Hopper, a great actor himself, knows what they need to thrive.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Colors is a special movie -- not just a police thriller, but a movie that has researched gangs and given some thought to what it wants to say about them.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Colors has a tentative, ambivalent feel to it--as if Hopper merely considered himself a hired gun who should avoid imposing too personal a vision on the material.
, Film4
Dennis Hopper's striking, controversial film was one of the first to attempt to get under the skin of LA gang culture, inspiring the many 'hood' films that proliferated in the early 1990s.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Never as eccentric as The Last Movie or Out of the Blue, Colors nevertheless makes most other cop movies look formulary by comparison.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Retrata a violência do submundo das gangues de maneira crua e realista, preocupando-se mais em ilustrar a brutalidade daquele universo do que propriamente em desenvolver uma trama (o que é um bônus).
Jon Lap, Apollo Guide
What is there to write about a lacklustre gang-related film that wants to be more than it amounts to?
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
gritty and gripping
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A gritty and depressing portrait of gang warfafre in Los Angeles as an intractable urban problem.

Read all 12 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

Anthony L

A fairly decent film but a little contrived at times. Oh, and the word ?Color? should have a U in it!! Expected more from Hopper though!
Lenny M

Good cop film, nothing special about the film if you watch it now, back then it had more of an impact. Good acting and screenplay.
Lady D

A film with issues, still very relevant today, yet dated by the music and clothing. I particularly like the relationship between Penn and Duval, a great rookie film.
Al S

A explosive, shocking, unsettling and heart-pounding drama. Thrilling, frequently exciting and all the way exhilerating. Gritty and realistic. Robert Duvall and Sean Penn are excellent. Their performances are truly brilliant and satisfying.
EightThirty .

Oldshool...This is what started that Gangster Gangster ^_^
xGary X

Predating the rash of hip hop inspired gangster films of the early 90s, this gritty story about two cops policing the streets of LA's gang neighbourhoods is intelligent, well written and well acted with a nicely balanced non-judgmental viewpoint.
Dean M

Brave, but ultimately rather disappointing story of mismatched cop Robert Duvall and Sean Penn assigned to gang duty in L.A. Although it has its moments, it's not so different from every other movie of its kind, unless you count the extraordinary amount of swearing.
danny d

ghetto
James A

I dare Robert Duvall to not play the role of a guy who understands minoritys and crazy people.
Danny R

A compelling and vivid look into the hard-core gang life of East Los Angeles and the efforts of the L.A.P.D and the anti-gang police unit known as C.R.A.S.H in trying to keep the gang violence under control. A seasoned street cop played brilliantly by Robert Duvall and his young… More
A compelling and vivid look into the hard-core gang life of East Los Angeles and the efforts of the L.A.P.D and the anti-gang police unit known as C.R.A.S.H in trying to keep the gang violence under control. A seasoned street cop played brilliantly by Robert Duvall and his young hot-head rookie partner Sean Penn in a superb performance are forced to work together with anti-gang unit to stop a upcoming turf war between to rival gangs. A gritty powerful film directed very skillfully by Dennis Hopper with a outstanding supporting cast that includes Don Cheadle, Maria Conchita Alonso, Damond Wayans and Tony Todd. Recommened.
Nicolas K

A good cop film with, as expected, great performances.
Lee K

great penn flick, booming ice t soundtrack and another reason why south central aint no place to be

Read all 12 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Sean Penn as Danny McGavin

            Robert Duvall as Bob Hodges

            Maria Conchita Alonso as Louisa Gomez

            Randy Brooks as Ron Delaney

            Grand L. Bush as Larry Sylvester

            Don Cheadle as Rocket

            Gerardo Mejía as Bird

            Glenn Plummer as Clarence Brown "High Top"

            Rudy Ramos as Melindez

            Sy Richardson as Bailey

            Trinidad Silva as Frog

            Charles Walker as Reed

            Damon Wayans as T-Bone

            Seymour Cassel as Sullivan

            Virgil Frye as Sheriff Foster

            Courtney Gains as Whitey

            Jack Nance as Officer Samuels

            Fred Asparagus as Cook

            Verda Bridges as C.R.A.S.H. Secretary

            R.D. Call as Rusty Baines

            Carlos Cervantes as Diaz

            Lawrence Cook as Officer Young

            Nicky Corello as Phil

            Gregg G. Dandridge as Young Crip

            Brian Davies as Robert Craig

            Kenia Brown as Maria

            Tina Lifford as Mrs. Craig

            Lawrence Lowe as Cop at Car Wreck

            Ted Markland as 3rd Crash Officer

            Micole Mercurio as Joan Hodges

            Nigel Miguel as Snakedance

            Karla Montana as Locita

            Allan Moore as Shooter

            Leon as Killer-Bee

            Tee Rodgers as Dr. Feelgood

            Richard Rust as Hearing Officer

            Tony Todd as Vietnam Vet

            Dion Williams as Spooky

            John Zenda as Officer Rutley

            Dennis "Chicago" Fanning as C.R.A.S.H. Officer

            Clark Johnson as Lee

            David Hubbard as J. C

            Mario López as Felipe's Friend

            Ray Oriel as Homeboy

            Annie-Joe as Shouting Woman

            Sherman Augustus as Officer Porter

            Bruce Beatty as Spanky

            Paula Bellamy as Woman in Recreation Centre

            Brandon Bluhm as Tommie Hodges

            Mark Booker as Young Crip

            Ron Boyd as Cop at Sharon's

            Steven Camarillo as Gato

            Eugene Collier as Young Crip

            Troy Curvey Jr. as Preacher

            Romeo DeLan as Felipe

            Diaz-Parton as Rita Gallegos

            Nay K. Dorsey as Man at Recreation Centre

            Fabian Escobedo as Flacco

            Tomas Goros as Phillip

            C.E. Grimes as Oso

            Trysh Jefferson as Young Girl

            Vaughn Jelks as Roy

            Roberto Martin Marquez as Grieving Husband

            Shawn McLemore as Willie Wright

            Peggy Medina as Angie

            Howard Mungo as Man at Recreation Centre

            Frances E. Nealy as Neighbor Woman

            Roy A. Nunez as 1st Crash Officer

            Roger Vernon Pamplin Jr. as Fighting Inmate

            Kim Pawlik as Female Officer

            Jo Marie Payton-France as 2nd Woman in Recreation Center

            Anthony Pena as Traffic Officer

            Daniela Piquet as Bird's Girlfriend

            David Rayner as J.C.

            Sharon Schaffer as Crip Girl

            Geoffrey Thorne as Lewis

            Ara Thorpe as Sharon Robbins

            Peter Mark Vasquez as Veterano

            Jeffrey Washington as Dog-Man
See full cast