The Postman
The Postman

The Postman

1994Movie114 minItalian

Simple Italian postman learns to love poetry while delivering mail to a famous poet; he uses this to woo local beauty Beatrice.

Read Reviews

Insights

IMDb6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes16%
Metacritic32/100
Google Users63%
Director: Kevin CostnerGenres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Western

Plot Summary

In a post-apocalyptic future, a drifter named Gordon Halloway finds a derelict postal van and a mailman's uniform. He dons the uniform and begins delivering mail, sparking hope and inspiring a new sense of unity among scattered survivors. However, his charade attracts the attention of the tyrannical leader of a militaristic faction, leading to a conflict that could determine the future of civilization.

Critical Reception

The Postman was a critical and commercial disappointment, widely panned for its overlong runtime, uneven tone, and perceived self-importance. While some critics acknowledged its ambitious themes and Costner's commitment, the film was largely seen as a failed attempt at epic storytelling.

What Reviewers Say

  • A sprawling, ambitious but ultimately tedious post-apocalyptic epic.
  • Kevin Costner's directorial follow-up to Dances with Wolves is a mess.
  • The film suffers from an excessive runtime and a lack of compelling narrative.

Google audience: Audiences found the film to be too long and slow-paced, with some appreciating the underlying message of hope and unity but many criticizing the convoluted plot and perceived pretentiousness.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for 5 Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture and Worst Actor for Kevin Costner.

Fun Fact

The film was shot in various locations across Oregon and Wyoming, with a large portion of the set built specifically for the movie in the Oregon high desert.

AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources

My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

With things unstable in his native Chile, renowned poet "Neruda" (Philippe Noiret) takes refuge on a small Italian island where his arrival is greeted with little more than a realisation that they are going to need to hire an extra postman!...
Filipe Manuel Neto

Filipe Manuel Ne...

**A beautiful Italian production.** If there is something that manages to cause serious expression problems in the most flirtatious and fluent of men, it is the ardent gaze of the girl he loves. I know this from experience, and any man w...