The Walker (2007)
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53% of critics liked it
(64 reviews) -
30% of users liked it
(10,046 ratings)
With The Walker, Paul Schrader unofficially updates themes and tropes first explored by his controversial erotic thriller American Gigolo (1980). Woody Harrelson stars as Carter Page III, an overtly gay Virginia senator's son, paid as an asexual escort of middle-aged women in the upper-crust… More With The Walker, Paul Schrader unofficially updates themes and tropes first explored by his controversial erotic thriller American Gigolo (1980). Woody Harrelson stars as Carter Page III, an overtly gay Virginia senator's son, paid as an asexual escort of middle-aged women in the upper-crust circles of Washington, D.C. Carter's regular clients include three politicos' wives: Natalie Van Miter (Lauren Bacall), Abigail Delorean (Lily Tomlin), and Lynn Lockner (Kristin Scott Thomas), to whom Carter is closest -- so close that he squires her, regularly, to sexual rendezvous with her lover, the lobbyist Robbie Kononsberg (Steven Hartley). When an unknown perpetrator stabs Robbie to death, and Lynn discovers his murdered body at his condo, Carter attempts to protect Lynn and her husband, Larry (Willem Dafoe), from media intrusion by informing the police that he found the body himself, despite the fact that it makes him an immediate suspect. In time, Carter discovers from the women (during their gossip over a canasta game) that Robbie was involved with a shady insurance company, on the verge of being investigated -- and that the investigation would have uncovered dirt and scandal on each woman. To shield Lynn from trouble, and deliver himself from incrimination, Page ultimately decides to investigate the crime himself, with the close assistance of his lover, the German-Turkish photographer Emek (Moritz Bleibtreu). Schrader authored the original script. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Directed By
- Paul Schrader
- Written By
- Paul Schrader
- Genres
- Drama
- In Theaters
- Dec 7, 2007 Limited
- Studio
- ThinkFilm
Critic Reviews
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Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
Paul Schrader directs The Walker, and the writer has a way with understatement. Like his 1992 gem Light Sleeper, this movie draws you in with its reserve.
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Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Written and directed with elegant finesse by Paul Schrader, the film is a character study wrapped in a story of political and corporate misconduct.
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G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
There is good writing here, and Thomas is very good as always, but the movie works because of Harrelson's performance.
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Tom Long, Detroit News
It's vaguely interesting, but vagueness isn't a big turn-on for most audiences. You keep wishing The Walker would break into an extended run in some direction. But instead it merely meanders.
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John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press
This is no masterpiece, but a fine-tuned little thriller packed with meticulously chosen details of character and place.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Woody Harrelson
as Carter Page
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Kristin Scott Thomas
as Lynn Lockner
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Lauren Bacall
as Natalie Van Miter
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Lily Tomlin
as Abigail Delorean
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Ned Beatty
as Jack Delorean
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Moritz Bleibtreu
as Emek Yoglu
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Willem Dafoe
as Larry Lockner
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William Hope
as Mungo Tenant
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Geff Francis
as Detective Dixon
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Steven Hartley
as Robbie Kononsberg
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Mary Beth Hurt
as Chrissie Morgan
- Garrick Hagon
- Michael J. Reynolds
- Kristin Scott-Thomas and Rowan Atkinson

