Retains enough of the original novel's authenticity to deliver strong, if brutish, entertainment.
Comment
08/01/08
North Dallas Forty (1979)
85
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:20
Fresh:17
Rotten:3
Average Rating:6.6/10
Consensus: Muddled overall, but perceptive and brutally realistic, North Dallas Forty also benefits from strong performances by Nick Nolte and Charles Durning. Football fans will likely find it fascinating.
Synopsis: NORTH DALLAS FORTY is a funny and insightful peek into the world of professional football, adapted from Peter Gent's novel. Phillip Elliott is an aging wide receiver for the North Dallas Bulls who... [More]
Starring: Nick Nolte, Charles Durning, Bo Svenson, Mac Davis
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Reviews for North Dallas Forty
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
The football scenes are brutally real; the locker room scenes are totally authentic.
03/21/07
Top CriticPro football fans may be disillusioned by this excellent, honest, and often brutal expose of the play-for-pay game.
03/14/07
Top CriticThe production is a most realistic, hard-hitting and perceptive look at the seamy side of pro football.
03/14/07
Top CriticIt relies upon your belief in the inherent nobility of the sport... If you believe that, this is the greatest sports movie ever made. If you don't, it's a wallow in self-pity.
03/14/07
Top CriticThe best football movie ever made.
06/10/06
Something of a mess, both in terms of the wayward plot which rambles all over the place, and in terms of the rather muddled juggling of audience sympathies.
01/26/06
No review available.
06/17/05
The leading man, Nick Nolte, has a physical authority and a clowning, irreverent manner that lend the film some semblance of continuity, even when it's about to flounder.
05/09/05
Top CriticRaucous football tale with effective Nolte.
11/01/04
No review available.
02/26/04
North Dallas Forty reveals some of the reasons why the fun has been taken out of football.
01/27/04
No review available.
12/13/02
No review available.
10/04/02
No review available.
08/16/02
No review available.
08/06/02
No review available.
07/25/02
It’s still fascinating to get a glimpse of what athletes sacrifice to entertain us. It would have been considerably more fascinating if more of the people involved had seemed more human.
03/27/01
For a sports flick, this is unique and holds your attention for the most part.
01/01/00
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
Dressing Wonderland 
Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.
Wes Anderson on Fox
The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox
Win Glee DVDs
We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.
Win tickets to Cold Souls
Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.
Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser
Win the entire 007 collection
Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection
IGN RSS Feeds