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ERA
Did you know
37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
We're No Angels
"Escaped convicts disguised as priests. It'll take a miracle to get away with this one."
1989 1h 46m EN
😐
6.2
MID
🥫
48%
ROTTEN
😬
48
METACRITIC
⭐
6.1
IMDB
★6.2TMDB · 570🥫48%Rotten Tomatoes●48Metacritic★6.1IMDB · 25,542
ComedyCrime
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
Two escaped cons' only prayer to escape is to pass themselves off as priests and pass by the police blockade at the border into the safety of Canada.
“Escaped convicts disguised as priests. It'll take a miracle to get away with this one.”
Cast
Robert De Niro
Ned
Sean Penn
Jim
Demi Moore
Molly
Hoyt Axton
Father Levesque
Bruno Kirby
Deputy
Ray McAnally
Warden
James Russo
Bobby
Wallace Shawn
Translator
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Neil Jordan
- Writers
- David Mamet, Ranald MacDougall
- Languages
- English, French, Latin
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, Latin.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Neil Jordan, shot by Philippe Rousselot. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by George Fenton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Mick Audsley shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Robert De Niro and Sean Penn and Demi Moore carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Escaped convicts disguised as priests. It'll take a miracle to get away with this one.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0098625 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Neil Jordan directs. Philippe Rousselot behind the camera. George Fenton scores. Mick Audsley cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, French, Latin.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 137 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, Latin.
- 3Directed by Neil Jordan, shot by Philippe Rousselot. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by George Fenton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Mick Audsley shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6Robert De Niro and Sean Penn and Demi Moore carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "Escaped convicts disguised as priests. It'll take a miracle to get away with this one.".
- 8IMDB entry: tt0098625 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Classified under 16 themes, including "prison", "prisoner", "police", "monk".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Philippe Rousselot
- Original score
- George Fenton
- Editing
- Mick Audsley
- Production design
- Wolf Kroeger
- Costume design
- Theoni V. Aldredge
- Makeup / hair
- Ilona Herman
- Sound
- Robin O'Donoghue
- Stunt coordinator
- Vic Armstrong
- Runtime
- 106 min · 1h 46m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $20,000,000
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 48% 🥫 Rotten
- Metacritic
- 48/100
- IMDB rating
- 6.1/10 · 25,542 votes
- MPAA
- PG-13
- US box office
- $10,555,348
Also by
Neil Jordan
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- kevin2019★ 8/10
"We're No Angels" has some fabulous photography that really brings the rugged Vancouver locations to life. It is a very entertaining film on every level and it has comedy that works - Ned is very amusing as he desperately attempts to remove his leg irons while listening to someone's sins in a confessional. The introduction of Molly and her deaf daughter Rosie could have been responsible for the whole film lapsing into a maudlin sense, but this is never allowed to happen. Molly's change of heart about the life she is leading and Jim's unexpected decision to join the priesthood are unanticipated developments which have been expertly crafted and perfectly in keeping with the story being told.
Production companies
Who made it
Paramount Pictures
US
Key crew
- ProducerArt Linson
- EditorMick Audsley
- EditorJoke van Wijk
- CastingWallis Nicita
- Theatre PlayAlbert Husson
- Theatre PlaySam Spewack
- Theatre PlayBella Spewack
- Original Film WriterRanald MacDougall
- Stunt CoordinatorVic Armstrong
- Executive ProducerRobert De Niro
- Co-ProducerFred C. Caruso
- Costume DesignTheoni V. Aldredge
- Production DesignWolf Kroeger
- StuntsTroy Gilbert
- Unit Production ManagerWarren Carr
- First Assistant DirectorPatrick Clayton
- Second Assistant DirectorKim H. Winther
- Art DirectionRichard Harrison
- Set DecorationJim Erickson
- Assistant Art DirectorMichael Ritter
- Assistant Set DecorationDavid Birdsall
- Assistant Set DecorationPeter Lando
- Still PhotographerTakashi Seida
- Camera OperatorMike Roberts
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- prison
- prisoner
- police
- monk
- superstition
- based on play or musical
- escaped convict
- remake
- religion
- convict
- captive
- disguise
- monastery
- roman catholic church
- assumed identity
- fake priest
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1989-12-15PG-13
Also known as
International titles
- Were No AngelsUS
- Nous ne sommes pas des angesFR
- We're No AngelsBR
- No Somos AngelesSV
- Nunca fuimos ángelesES
- Non siamo angeli (De Niro)IT
