Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- darkly comic
- sardonic
- tense
- late night viewing
- crime movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the darkly comic crime premise uneven, while recognizing strong performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Janeane Garofalo, and Vince Vaughn.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film treats Clay's guilt, Lester's killings, and the investigation through an uneasy mixture of menace and comedy.
Clay's affair, his friend's suicide, and his friendship with Lester place him in an increasingly compromising relationship with violence.
The small Montana town, diner, sheriff's office, and local relationships create a closed environment for jealousy, murder, and investigation.
Clay befriends Lester Long despite Lester's troubling behavior and serial-killer identity.
Films like Clay Pigeons, and why
Fargo
darkly comic neo-noir crime story involving an ordinary man drawn into a killer's orbit
Blood Simple
small-town crime, sardonic humor, morally compromised characters, and escalating danger
Freeway
offbeat serial-killer crime narrative balancing grim violence with black comedy
One False Move
bleakly comic neo-noir atmosphere, criminal investigation, and fatalistic entanglements
Movie Details
- Director
- David Dobkin
- Release Date
- 1998-09-25
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (143)
Cast
- Joaquin Phoenix
- Vince Vaughn
- Janeane Garofalo
- Scott Wilson
- Gregory Sporleder
- Georgina Cates
- Vince Vieluf
- Joseph D. Reitman
- Nicole Arlyn
- Wayne Brennan
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 Clay Pigeons about?
- A guilt-ridden Montana everyman becomes dangerously entangled with a charismatic serial killer after an affair ends in suicide.
- What is Clay Pigeons like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Clay Pigeons as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Clay Pigeons violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Clay Pigeons as moderate.
- What did critics think of Clay Pigeons?
- Critics broadly found the darkly comic crime premise uneven, while recognizing strong performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Janeane Garofalo, and Vince Vaughn.
- Which films are like Clay Pigeons?
- Films with a similar feel include Fargo, Blood Simple, Freeway, and One False Move.
- How long is Clay Pigeons?
- Clay Pigeons runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Clay Pigeons?
- In United States, Clay Pigeons is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
