Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- somber
- unsettling
- morally ambiguous
- serious viewing
- true story night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film to be a hard-hitting real-life drama elevated by Barry Levinson's direction and Al Pacino's morally complex performance, while noting that its treatment of the scandal could be messy and limited in perspective.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Penn State scandal is presented as a crisis of organizational responsibility involving Paterno, university officials, and the victims.
Paterno's status as college football's winningest coach is placed against the damage the scandal does to his public myth.
Joe Paterno is depicted as guilt-ridden yet potentially oblivious to institutional wrongdoing, resisting a simple heroic or villainous reading.
The film focuses on Paterno's conscience and private responses, areas identified in reception as interpretive dramatic construction.
Films like Paterno, and why
All the President's Men
shared biographical drama form, institutional corruption, and morally compromised central figure
Spotlight
shared true-story drama, investigative pressure, and focus on institutional failure
The Social Network
shared tense biographical portrait of a powerful public figure confronting scandal and legacy
Concussion
shared sports culture, public reputation, and troubling institutional consequences
Movie Details
- Director
- Barry Levinson
- Release Date
- 2018-04-07
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (194)
Cast
- Al Pacino
- Kathy Baker
- Kenneth Maharaj
- Michael Mastro
- Joshua Morgan
- Ross Degraw
- Mitchell L. Mack
- Larry Mitchell
- Darren Goldstein
- Riley Keough
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- 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 Paterno about?
- A revered college football coach confronts the institutional fallout of a sexual abuse scandal that threatens to redefine his legacy.
- What is Paterno like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Paterno as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Paterno violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Paterno.
- What did critics think of Paterno?
- Critics generally found the film to be a hard-hitting real-life drama elevated by Barry Levinson's direction and Al Pacino's morally complex performance, while noting that its treatment of the scandal could be messy and limited in perspective.
- Which films are like Paterno?
- Films with a similar feel include All the President's Men, Spotlight, The Social Network, and Concussion.
- How long is Paterno?
- Paterno runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch Paterno?
- In United States, Paterno streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
