Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- gritty
- tense
- bleak
- serious movie night
- 1980s crime marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the thorny premise handled too facilely and predictably, but considered Jack Nicholson's gritty lead performance a compelling reason to watch.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Charlie accepts participation in immigrant smuggling after pressure from his partner Cat and his wife's financial demands.
The abduction of Maria's baby turns border corruption and trafficking into Charlie's urgent personal confrontation with injustice.
The Texas-Mexico border enables smuggling, bribery, kidnapping, and competing claims over vulnerable migrants.
Charlie wants to provide for Marcy and satisfy demands for a more affluent lifestyle, making him susceptible to bribes.
Films like The Border, and why
Serpico
shared crime drama framework, institutional corruption, moral compromise, and gritty social realism
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
shared borderland crime, compromised law enforcement, and bleak moral tension
Lone Star
shared working-class desperation, illegal smuggling, and socially conscious melodrama
Chinatown
shared neo-noir atmosphere, corruption, and a protagonist struggling against a criminal system
Movie Details
- Director
- Tony Richardson
- Release Date
- 1982-01-29
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (151)
Cast
- Jack Nicholson
- Harvey Keitel
- Valerie Perrine
- Warren Oates
- Elpidia Carrillo
- Shannon Wilcox
- Manuel Viescas
- Jeff Morris
- Mike Gomez
- Dirk Blocker
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Border about?
- A conflicted border agent risks everything to rescue a Mexican mother’s stolen baby from the criminal network he helped enable.
- What is The Border like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Border as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Border violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Border as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Border?
- Critics broadly found the thorny premise handled too facilely and predictably, but considered Jack Nicholson's gritty lead performance a compelling reason to watch.
- Which films are like The Border?
- Films with a similar feel include Serpico, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Lone Star, and Chinatown.
- How long is The Border?
- The Border runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Border?
- In United States, The Border is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
