Rustin

PG-13

Released Nov 3, 2023

1h 48m

Drama

Biography

History

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84%

Tomatometer

170 Reviews

83%

Audience Score

500+ Ratings

The architect of 1963's momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority, never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten. Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo, Rustin shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom.

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Critics Consensus

Colman Domingo is sensational in Rustin, a stirring biopic that shines an overdue light on a remarkable legacy of public service.

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Craig Mathieson

The Age (Australia)

Domingo’s performance is electric. He captures Rustin’s organiser as a defiant performer, making history he would be written out of.

Feb 2, 2024

Full Review

Robert Levin

Newsday

It's an important work of historical storytelling that functions just as well as a compelling character study.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 31, 2024

Full Review

John Nugent

Empire Magazine

This welcome spotlight on a lesser-known civil rights hero doesn’t escape the usual biopic clichés — but Colman Domingo’s impressive, deeply layered performance does this corner of history justice.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 27, 2023

Full Review

Zach Youngs

InSession Film

It’s a very safe type of film, but an enjoyable and uplifting one to watch.

Rated: B

Jul 3, 2024

Full Review

Sarah Marrs

Lainey Gossip

Colman Domingo brings wit and wisdom to Bayard, but his performance deserves a better film than this.

May 29, 2024

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

A story worth telling, but it's very much one of those movies that mistakes an important message for compelling filmmaking.

Rated: 2/4

Apr 24, 2024

Full Review

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Artdoggie

Coleman Domingo is a revelation as Rustin. We celebrated MLK holiday watching this movie and it didnt fail to inspire and touch us with its power and beauty.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/16/24

Full Review

Sherry B

Colman Domingo's performance was wonderful. The movie sheds light on what happened in the weeks leading up to the March on Washington. It showed how people working together can make anything happen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Sadly Rustin only standout is Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin in which he totally deserved that nomination for his performance. Other than that it just your stereotypical bland documentary. Nothing to remember cheap looking shallow development and doesn’t have much to say which is sad because the Civil Rights Movement was such a important time in human rights history

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

06/07/24

Full Review

Tom F

A nice look at the title character and a moment in time, good acting, nothing really special.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/03/24

Full Review

Patrick D

As it's reputation led me to expect - Domingo is excellent in a very ordinary movie.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/25/24

Full Review

JonNookI

I'm on a journey to watch all of the 2024 Oscar Nominees, and next on my list was Rustin, a compelling if generic biopic with some great performances, Colman Domingo easily being the highlight as the title character, Bayard Rustin. I think this film did a good job at telling the story it was trying to tell, and I learned quite a bit about his idea for the march, as well as the march itself, but I didn't feel I learned a lot about Rustin himself, though I do know a lot more about him now than I did before I watched this film, as before this I had never heard of him before. I think this film could've easily been a 3½-star film and possibly even a 4-star if it went deeper into his character, rather than just some of his actions. Despite what other reviews have said, I didn't think that this film was boring, though that could also be because I haven't seen all too many biopics, with this either being my fourth or fifth. Though I enjoyed much of it at the time, there are quite a lot of scenes here that are forgettable, as this film really doesn't have much style to it. The cinematography is fine, but it's not anything to write home about. Overall, I would recommend watching this movie for Domingo's performance, but that's not to say you won't find enjoyment in other aspects, as I did.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/23/24

Full Review

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George C. Wolfe

Director

Colman Domingo

Bayard Rustin

Chris Rock

Roy Wilkins

Glynn Turman

A. Philip Randolph

Audra McDonald

Ella Baker

CCH Pounder

Dr. Anna Hedgeman

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Rustin: Trailer 1

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Rustin: Teaser Trailer

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Synopsis

The architect of 1963's momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority, never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten. Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo, Rustin shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom.

Director: George C. Wolfe
Producer: Bruce Cohen, Tonia Davis, Priya Swaminathan
Screenwriter: Julian Breece, Dustin Lance Black
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Higher Ground Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Some Violence|Racial Slurs|Thematic Material|Language|Brief Drug Use|Sexual Material|Smoking)
Genre: Drama, Biography, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 3, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 17, 2023
Runtime: 1h 48m

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