Only Crantson could move so easily from a dentist in Seinfeld to a mastermind in Breaking Bad to a sympathetic character in Trumbo. Truly one of the great actors of this early century.

During the Joseph McCarthy Communist Witch Hunts, the senator set his sights on Hollywood, rooting out communist sympathizers, requiring anyone with past communist ties to “name names” or get blacklisted. TRUMBO tells the story of famed Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (the writer of A GUY NAMED JOE, THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO, ROMAN HOLIDAY, SPARTACUS) who took the principled stand of freedom of speech and the right to dissent by refusing to cooperate with the McCarthy hearings and consequently found himself blacklisted. For anyone familiar with Trumbo’s story, there’s no surprise in the arc of the film, but what was interesting and new was the impact of the blacklist on his family, finding themselves forced to sell their home, ostracized by their neighbors, and yet all the while being unfailingly loyal to Trumbo’s stance. Bryan Cranston is commanding as Trumbo, delivering what seems impossibly clever dialogue, but also seems plausible given he’s an East Coast intellectual whose job was to write impossibly smart dialogue. I already knew that Trumbo and other blacklisted writers continued to work in Hollywood while on the blacklist, using non-blacklisted writers to front for them and share the profits, as well as writing for low-budget disreputable studies who knew their viewers didn’t care about the blacklist, but it was fascinating to see the machinations of how they sold the scripts in this environment. I also learned from this movie that Trumbo wrote under a pseudonym the classic low-budget film noir, GUN CRAZY. Diane Lane is fine in an understated role as Trumbo’s supportive wife, though it’s Elle Fanning as Trumbo’s headstrong daughter who stands out among the many fine supporting actors, who include Alan Tudyk, John Goodman, Louis C.K., Stephen Root, Richard Portnow, and Helen Mirren as Hedda Hopper. While I greatly enjoyed TRUMBO, I don’t know if it’s a movie for everyone, as I’m pretty sure my love of film history biased me toward enjoying this film. I do think the film has crossover film appear for non-film-nerd audiences who are interested in stories of dissent, principled stands, and the importance of democracy and freedom of speech, but overall it’s the performances by Cranston, Lane, Fanning, and the rest of the supporting cast who carry the day. 

Great movie. I never understand why USA hate us

This screenwriter not only wrote some iconic scripts, but he manages to speak up for those who have been blacklisted! For supporting the Communist party, Dalton Trumbo and many other names in Hollywood are placed on the blacklist and arrested, forcing him to find other revenues while still opposing the unjust persecution. In a time when paranoia is high, this true-life story of a man's quest for due credit is as impressive as Trumbo's other works!

Phenomenal. Great energy, great environments, great characters. Great scenes.

Cranston is as entertaining as ever but I think the plot's a little too simplistic, especially when it deals with the creation of a blacklist.

This is an interesting film, ultimately about politics - the politics of the time, showing the repercussions of it being known someones political persuasion (being a communist). The film features text at the start explaining the background to things, how communists were viewed by the US in general at the time the film is set in and so on. I hadn't been aware of the character of Trumbo beforehand but through Bryan Cranston's performance, I got a feel for his determination to move on after having been treated badly for his beliefs and the affect this had on his family and work. I can't say its in any way a fast paced or action based film but as a drama, its certainly intriguing and I thought both Dalton (Trumbo) and his daughter,Niki, played by Elle Fanning/Madison Wolfe (as the younger Niki), gave particularly noteable/respectable performances. Also present is John Goodman as a less than admirable studio official and Helen Mirren as Hedda Hopper, an actress and columnist. I thought it was an interesting story and I quite enjoyed it, so I'd recommend this to others.

It was a dark time and unfortunately it is coming back.

Nothing happens in this movie. Bryan Cranston's talent is completely wasted.

Excellent story and acting!

Excelente biopic sobre uno de los mejores escritores de la industria, perseguido, juzgado, encarcelado y estando en la lista negra de Hollywood nada de eso podía detener a Trumbo, una increíble historia de superación sobre el guionista de una de las mejores adaptaciones cinematográficas de Spartacus.

Quem diria, a elite fascista perseguia os comunistas na pós guerra, que decepção John Wayne, racista, homofóbico e fascista, ótimo filme sobre os 10 de Hollywood, não conhecia a história, tampouco suas obras, que triste, revoltante… Verdadeira ojeriza por J. Edgar Hoover, que sempre tem seu dedo imundo nas mazelas americanas… Adorável teste para identificar comunista "Se você encontrar uma criança sem lanche na escola, divide o seu lanche com ela? Então você é uma pequena comunista".

I love Bryan Cranston but this movie is trash, trumbo wasn't just a communist he literally supported Stalin and defended him during tha purges of the 30s and 40s, a fact that these writers conveniently left out

I was truly surprised how many movies were written by ghost writers during this era. I was also surprised what a drastic change Trumbo's personality went through throughout the timeline of this story. For me, this story is more about the long-suffering of his family than the story of Trumbo himself. An interesting telling of one of the craziest era's in Hollywood history.

Watched this right after watching the stupid Kong vs. Godzilla crap, so anything might have been good at the moment. But such great acting, witty dialogue, passionate truth, and inspiring themes... This film deserves your second look, and your eyes in general if you haven't looked.

Very interesting movie and fantastic acting by Cranston.

This showbiz drama was really good. Bryan Cranston, Helen Mirren, Elle Fanning, Diane Lane, Louis CK, John Goodman, and the rest of the cast did a fantastic job in this movie. This true story about screenwriters getting blacklisted for being a Communist was inspirational, dramatic, and courageous. It's about a man who fights for his right to do what he loves and wins in the process. If you haven't seen this movie yet, check it out sometime. It's a must see.

I was very impressed. When movies take on historical events/people, they can often take a lot of liberties with what really happened. The only deviation I have been able to track down concerning this film was Arlen Hird as played by Louis C.K. was a composite character.

It's jarring, and a sign of directorial incertitude, to have some actors doing polished yet shallow (like the movie itself) impersonations of the likes of John Wayne and Kirk Douglas on the one hand, while on the other, to have Stuhlbarg not even attempt the nasally voice of Edward G. Robinson.

A fascinating biopic about Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo who was blacklisted at the height of the communist witch-hunts in the 1940s and 50s. Starring Bryan Cranston as the chain-smoking writer and directed by Jay Roach, I loved the sense of style and humour that the character encapsulated. Even when his world was collapsing and his reputation was ruined by the vindictive conservative and Republican supporters, Trumbo managed to keep working, albeit using a pseudonym and the sparkling script gives the character some great lines. Helen Mirren portrays the vile Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper who seems to make it her driving, personal aim to hound out suspected socialist and communist sympathisers who are working in the US film industry. Dalton Trumbo's work on the screenplay for Spartacus and the support offered to him by actor Kirk Douglas is well known and this is well portrayed here. What I was unaware of was the humility and good grace of the man himself when, years later he was publicly recognised for his contributions to so many great films. It is a genuinely touching moment in a terrific movie.