Ironweed
Two haunted Albany drifters confront alcoholism, guilt, and the fragile loyalty that binds them during Halloween 1938.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- bleak
- melancholic
- haunted
- reflective evening
- literary film night
What critics said
Critics broadly found Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep's performances compelling and masterful, while the film's relentless bleakness could become monotonous.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Francis encounters visions of two men he killed and remains haunted by the death of his infant son.
Francis and Helen live as bums while maintaining a personal code of fairness and loyalty.
The Albany streets, cemetery work, and barroom life are interwoven with Francis's ghostly visions.
Francis and Helen's drinking shapes their homelessness, relationships, routines, and self-destructive choices.
Films like Ironweed, and why
Barfly
shared bleak social realism, alcoholism, homelessness, and morally complicated drifters
The Fisher King
shared haunted psychological drama, damaged protagonists, and spiritual reckoning
Leaving Las Vegas
shared literary drama, alcoholism, estrangement, and emotionally intense lead performances
The Grapes of Wrath
shared depression-era hardship, wandering outsiders, and stark compassion for the marginalized
Movie Details
- Director
- Héctor Babenco
- Release Date
- 1987-12-18
- Runtime
- 143 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (148)
Cast
- Jack Nicholson
- Meryl Streep
- Carroll Baker
- Michael O'Keefe
- Diane Venora
- Fred Gwynne
- Margaret Whitton
- Tom Waits
- Jake Dengel
- Nathan Lane
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- MGM Plus
- 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 Ironweed about?
- Two haunted Albany drifters confront alcoholism, guilt, and the fragile loyalty that binds them during Halloween 1938.
- What is Ironweed like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ironweed as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Ironweed violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Ironweed as mild.
- What did critics think of Ironweed?
- Critics broadly found Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep's performances compelling and masterful, while the film's relentless bleakness could become monotonous.
- Which films are like Ironweed?
- Films with a similar feel include Barfly, The Fisher King, Leaving Las Vegas, and The Grapes of Wrath.
- How long is Ironweed?
- Ironweed runs 143 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ironweed?
- In United States, Ironweed streams on MGM Plus.
