True Confessions

Play trailer

True Confessions

R

1981

1h 50m

Crime

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

72%

Tomatometer

18 Reviews

53%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

In the 1940s Los Angeles, Detective Tom Spellacy probes into the savage murder of a woman found dumped in an empty lot. At the same time, he investigates a priest found dead in a whorehouse. Spellacy's brother, a Catholic priest, is meanwhile attempting to expand his church through Jack, a shady contractor. While the two police cases and the real estate deal seem a world apart, Spellacy discovers an insidious connection involving money and power.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Joseph Gelmis

Newsday

07/14/2022

3/4

True Confessions is brilliantly cast and acted.

Go to Full Review

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

12/18/2015

Des is another solitary soul, but perhaps he's the most subtle and accessible solitary De Niro has yet embodied -- a man whose isolation draws you closer instead of giving you the willies.

Go to Full Review

Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

03/07/2011

Two exciting, dangerous actors have little to do: Duvall spends too much time pacing and waiting; De Niro's big scene has him hanging up his vestments.

Go to Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Murder Made Fiction Podcast - Bloody Disgusting

May 15

3/5

The story of two corrupt brothers merely uses the Black Dahlia as its framing device, but it's DeNiro who steals the show.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

07/23/2025

3/4

This was largely dismissed upon its original release, yet it remains an underrated picture.

Go to Full Review

Stephen Schiff

Boston Phoenix

10/08/2021

Spanning the world of the priest and the world of the cop, True Confessions is at once terribly refined and terribly with it -- holier-than-thou and hipper-than-thou at the same time.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Bill T.

@btreakle Jun 23

“True Confessions " “True Confessions “ This is a wonderful movie starring Robert Duvall and Robert De Niro. It’s set in the 1940s and De Niro plays a priest while his brother plays a detective. Not gonna say anything else about the movie you just have to watch this one and there’s some other stars in this this film as well. Burgess Meredith plays in this film. It’s one of the earlier films of Robert duvall’s career and one day I think that you would enjoy and who doesn’t love deniro. I highly recommend this film.

See more

Melissa L

@Agent99 Apr 28

This was a great movie. It was not a happy one. It was serious. It had many sad scenes. It was excellently acted. I was emotionally drained by the end of it. By the look of the audience rating, a lot of people do not understand it. I'm with the professional rating/reviews.

See more

thiago S

@Thiagostone Apr 16

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

See more

Vincent S

@Vin_E_At_The_Movies Feb 18

In honor of the late, great Robert Duvall, this is one of his best performances. The characters and the acting are the selling point here. The acting is superb and the look and the feel of the movie is admirable despite a plot full of holes.

See more

Heatherjoy K

@Hjk718 Nov 21

My favorite movie of all time. Extremely moving. Acting, cinematography, the writing, the musical score…. Saw this move as a 9 year old with my parents when it came out. Have watched it many many times since. Now reading the book which is also a masterpiece imho. Affects me on so many different levels.

See more

Donn B

@RT67132659 07/21/2025

Don't let the 69% and 53% fool you. This movie is jamb packed with A list actors who crush all the scenes they are in. It really is a masters class of acting with the minor rolls stealing the show. A must see for a movie released in 81.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Ulu Grosbard

Director

Robert De Niro

Des Spellacy

Robert Duvall

Tom Spellacy

Charles Durning

Jack Amsterdam

Ed Flanders

Dan T. Campion

Burgess Meredith

Seamus Fargo

Body Heat

96%

81%

Body Heat

Watchlist

To Live and Die in L.A.

89%

79%

To Live and Die in L.A.

Watchlist

TRAILER

for To Live and Die in L.A.

Night and the City

57%

30%

Night and the City

Watchlist

Prince of the City

93%

81%

Prince of the City

Watchlist

Once Upon a Time in America

86%

93%

Once Upon a Time in America

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

In the 1940s Los Angeles, Detective Tom Spellacy probes into the savage murder of a woman found dumped in an empty lot. At the same time, he investigates a priest found dead in a whorehouse. Spellacy's brother, a Catholic priest, is meanwhile attempting to expand his church through Jack, a shady contractor. While the two police cases and the real estate deal seem a world apart, Spellacy discovers an insidious connection involving money and power.

Director: Ulu Grosbard
Producer: Robert Chartoff, Irwin Winkler
Production Co: Chartoff-Winkler Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Stereo