Heartbreak Ridge

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Heartbreak Ridge

R

1986

2h 9m

War

Comedy

Drama

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

63%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Marine Sgt. Thomas Highway (Clint Eastwood) is a decorated veteran of two wars. On his last posting before retirement, he is surrounded by officers with no combat experience who view him as an odd, even dangerous, holdover. Highway is assigned to train a group of undisciplined recruits including Cpl. Stitch Jones (Mario Van Peebles), a slick hustler who has previously encountered Highway. As the old soldier prepares his men for a war they don't believe will come, the U.S. invades Grenada.

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Critics Consensus

With Heartbreak Ridge, director Clint Eastwood gets one of his best performances out of himself, even if the story struggles to engage.

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David Stratton

Sydney Morning Herald

05/27/2021

Eastwood serves us up with a hoary old story about a platoon of malcontents whipped into fighting shape by a tough veteran sergeant.

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Mike Daly

The Age (Australia)

12/15/2020

There are no surprises in films like Heartbreak Ridge, only catharsis. Like war and contact sport, they release the pent-up aggression of adolescent males. Never mind the cliches, feel the muscle.

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Pat Graham

Chicago Reader

08/06/2020

The whole film seems ideologically forced and out of place, an attempt to resurrect the retentive virtues of Ford and Hawks without the cultural context that gave them expressive strength.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Feb 13

2/4

...the far-from-enthralling feel is compounded by an almost total lack of interesting, three-dimensional periphery figures...

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

07/24/2025

2/5

Moderately manageable meatball cinema for about an hour. But the film quickly wears out its welcome with repetitive moments of tough love taught to sops and sissies. “The only thing we’re fighting is boredom,” one character quips. You said it, Corporal.

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

08/06/2020

3/5

There's a by-the-numbers feel to it all, but Eastwood is the main reason to watch, as he whips the troops into shape in readiness for the invasion of Grenada.

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Joseph P

@Bigjoe331 Jul 20

It's a great movie just now there is a lot of bad language

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Dirk D

@DirkD Feb 1

One of my favorite movies! One of the reasons I joined the military. I have now owned this movie on VHS, DVD and now Streaming. Still use many quotes from this movie.

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Jerod S

@jeroduptown Jan 31

Eastwood is the crusty veteran that has one more duty to fulfill before retiring. He gets a bunch of young marine studs that he's gotta whip into shape.

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CodyZamboni Z

@CodyZamboni Jan 21

Watchable genre film as grizzled old school soldier, Eastwood, who is hired to train Marine misfits, who love to usurp authority, And then team is tested in live battle in Grenada, Mostly sympathetic characters, Lots of funny creative cussing and insults, Decent war action. However, Marsha Mason romance subplot is boring and unnecssary,

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Deepika V

@deepikav12 Nov 20

My favorite movie! A mix of drama and comedy, the star cast made this movie shine. Love the interactions between Mario and Clint Eastwood's character. Entertaining movie.

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Garry H

@RT93522185 Nov 13

Just a n Eastwood vehicle where nothing happens , made on his day off?

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Synopsis

Marine Sgt. Thomas Highway (Clint Eastwood) is a decorated veteran of two wars. On his last posting before retirement, he is surrounded by officers with no combat experience who view him as an odd, even dangerous, holdover. Highway is assigned to train a group of undisciplined recruits including Cpl. Stitch Jones (Mario Van Peebles), a slick hustler who has previously encountered Highway. As the old soldier prepares his men for a war they don't believe will come, the U.S. invades Grenada.

Director: Clint Eastwood
Producer: Clint Eastwood
Screenwriter: James Carabatsos
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Malpaso Company, Jay Weston Productions
Rating: R
Genre: War, Comedy, Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 5, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $41.0M
Runtime: 2h 9m
Sound Mix: Surround