Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- whimsical
- breezy
- lazy sunday
- classic movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly appreciated Walter Matthau’s deft comic performance, literate script, measured direction, and unusually civilized approach to espionage, while noting its deliberately light action.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Miles Kendig relies on memoir chapters, misdirection, and personal charm while the CIA pursues him with increasingly desperate tactics.
Kendig turns his departure from the CIA into an attack on the agency’s secrecy and authority.
The plot escalates as Kendig writes and sends chapters to intelligence agencies around the world.
The pursuit moves through England, Germany, Austria, Washington, the Deep South, and wider Europe.
Films like Hopscotch, and why
The Tailor of Panama
Measured spy caper comedy with an aging professional outmaneuvering institutions.
Our Man in Havana
Playful espionage, dry humor, and anti-bureaucratic intrigue centered on an unconventional intelligence operative.
Charade
Witty international pursuit combining romantic charm, elegant locations, comic suspense, and shifting identities.
Movie Details
- Director
- Ronald Neame
- Release Date
- 1980-09-26
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (189)
Cast
- Walter Matthau
- Glenda Jackson
- Sam Waterston
- Ned Beatty
- Herbert Lom
- David Matthau
- George Baker
- Ivor Roberts
- Lucy Saroyan
- Severn Darden
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Hopscotch about?
- A veteran CIA agent turns his retirement into an international game of literary blackmail against the agency that wants him silenced.
- What is Hopscotch like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Hopscotch as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Hopscotch violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Hopscotch as mild.
- What did critics think of Hopscotch?
- Critics broadly appreciated Walter Matthau’s deft comic performance, literate script, measured direction, and unusually civilized approach to espionage, while noting its deliberately light action.
- Which films are like Hopscotch?
- Films with a similar feel include The Tailor of Panama, Our Man in Havana, and Charade.
- How long is Hopscotch?
- Hopscotch runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Hopscotch?
- In United States, Hopscotch streams on Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
