Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- aggressive
- tense
- hard-hitting
- gritty crime night
- 1980s movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film hard-hitting and nuanced in its treatment of urban gang violence, with strong chemistry between its two leads, though some considered its police-centered story formulaic or insufficiently incendiary.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The plot foregrounds the colors worn by gang members as visible markers of belonging and conflict.
The film uses an unadorned, street-level depiction of gang-controlled Los Angeles and police encounters.
Veteran officer Bob Hodges shows young cop Danny McGavin how to navigate gang policing.
The LAPD officers work in East Los Angeles barrios while confronting gang power and controversies over police conduct.
Films like Colors, and why
Boyz n the Hood
hard-edged urban crime drama examining gang culture through police work and social observation
South Central
street-level Los Angeles crime film blending police procedure, racial tension, and documentary realism
The French Connection
gritty buddy-cop crime thriller focused on institutional pressure and urban violence
Serpico
socially conscious police drama portraying systemic tension and confrontational city streets
Movie Details
- Director
- Dennis Hopper
- Release Date
- 1988-04-15
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (568)
Cast
- Sean Penn
- Robert Duvall
- María Conchita Alonso
- Randy Brooks
- Grand L. Bush
- Don Cheadle
- Gerardo Mejía
- Glenn Plummer
- Rudy Ramos
- Sy Richardson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- 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 Colors about?
- A veteran Los Angeles cop mentors his ambitious young partner while gang colors, police pressure, and escalating street violence expose the fractures of urban life.
- What is Colors like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Colors as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Colors violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Colors as graphic.
- What did critics think of Colors?
- Critics broadly found the film hard-hitting and nuanced in its treatment of urban gang violence, with strong chemistry between its two leads, though some considered its police-centered story formulaic or insufficiently incendiary.
- Which films are like Colors?
- Films with a similar feel include Boyz n the Hood, South Central, The French Connection, and Serpico.
- How long is Colors?
- Colors runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Colors?
- In United States, Colors streams on Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
