Christine Bergstrom, Harold Blankenship, Marianna Hill

A detached TV news cameraman and a warmhearted Appalachian woman are engulfed in a wave of fear and violence during Chicago's 1968 Democratic National Convention, in a style where the lines between a ...( read more  read more... )documentary and a fictional film become blurred.

Flixster Users

76% liked it

1,254 ratings

Critics

94% liked it

17 critics

R, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: Haskell Wexler

Release Date: January 1, 1969

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DVD Release Date: December 11, 2001

Stats: 96 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (96)


  • November 16, 2006
    Part documentary, part love story, Medium Cool is a prime example of American cinema in its ascendancy during the late 1960s/early 1970s. Combining societal, political and cultural commentary with innovative shooting techniques and off-beat editing, Wexler's attack on the growing...( read more) influence and abuse of power by the media is delivered with genuine, raw energy.

    Actual footage of the brutal battle between protestors and soldiers/police during the 1968 Democratic Convention effectively creates a palpable tension and captures the emotions swiriling around the US at time. Unfortunately, the overarching love story between the unlikely couple feels rather lightweight given the context it is set in and the relationship feels like more like filler than a strong plot vehicle.

    Nonetheless the "documentary" aspect is an invigorating piece of cinema and should prove essential to those interested in the New Wave American cinema period or 20th Century American politics in general.
  • August 6, 2008
    Yer trip to the 1960's right here. Look no further.
  • December 31, 2007
    The two little boys in this film are actually my uncles. :)
  • November 9, 2007
    A fantastic documentation of history.
  • July 27, 2007
    There are moments of this that are sheer perfection. Almost too good to watch
  • May 4, 2007
    This is such a low-key look at what Chicago was really like in 1968. The director was clever enough to get the cameraman to shoot the Guardmen at City Hall and a couple of the demonstrations. The closing scene is priceless.
  • February 5, 2007
    Cool! Go Dems! (and liberals)
  • December 28, 2006
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  • December 9, 2006
    Yeah, i'd like to see this, i think!

Critic Reviews


October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Moviemakers have at last figured out how bright the average moviegoer is. By that I don't mean they're making more 'intelligent' pictures. I mean they understand how quickly we can catch onto things. full review

View more Medium Cool reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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