Foul Play | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

74% Tomatometer 27 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings

Librarian Gloria Mundy (Goldie Hawn) leads a relatively uneventful life. When she looks to shake things up, she somehow winds up in the middle of an assassination plot against the pope. Calling the police, Mundy meets the hapless detective Tony Carlson (Chevy Chase), who takes the case. During the course of the investigation, the two fall in love, but the assassin (Marc Lawrence) is still after Mundy -- and anyone with her -- to keep her from foiling the plot.

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Foul Play

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Critics Consensus

Entertaining and charming like its charismatic leads, Foul Play is a rollicking homage to the master of suspense for those who prefer mysteries with gags on top.

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Critics Reviews

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Foul Play | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Gary Arnold Washington Post One recognizes the romantic comedy impulse behind the sexual sparrings of Hawn and Chase. It's the execution that leaves everything to be desired. May 9, 2017 Full Review Foul Play | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Variety Staff Variety Writer Colin Higgins makes a good directorial bow. Oct 30, 2007 Full Review Foul Play | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Time Out Unsatisfactory as a whole, the film is hilarious and tense in bits. Jan 26, 2006 Full Review Foul Play | Rotten Tomatoes (4) David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...a comfortably familiar premise that's employed to somewhat overlong yet mostly entertaining effect... Rated: 3/4 Nov 22, 2020 Full Review Foul Play | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Fernando Trueba El Pais (Spain) Colin Higgins proves himself adept at recreating the style and themes of Hitchcock's films, as well as creating entertaining schemes. [Full Review in Spanish] Aug 5, 2019 Full Review Foul Play | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Bernard Drew Gannett News Service Somewhere in the cumbersome comedy thriller Colin Higgins has made of Foul Play, lies the ghost of a good, old-fashioned mystery-comedy-romance. Jul 17, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Melinda W My daughter and I love, love, love this movie, and we can quote it word for word. I grew up watching this movie in the 80s when the first house on our street got a VCR! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/03/25 Full Review S R Unlike anything I've ever seen. It was so bad it was good. Props for the Mikado, Hitchcock dwarves, Japanese Tourists and the not being able to decide between suspense and romantic comedy. It was on YouTube. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/04/23 Full Review Kris C A good movie for that era. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/05/23 Full Review penelope w This is my all time favorite comedy. I and my daughter can quote this whole movie and no matter how many times we've seen it we still laugh out loud. Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase and Dudley Moore all have the best comedic timing. All at their prime here. This film combines my favorite to genres mystery and comedy. But hats off really to the screen writer, Higgins, who in my opinion wrote a brilliant script that pays homage to Hitchcock and all the neo-noir films of the Hollywood golden age. No other film makes me laugh and excited at the same time! The two old ladies playing Scrabble is an added bonus of comedy. Billy Barry, Burgess Meredith, Brian Dennehy and "Stella" make this film hysterical. It's even funnier now that it's so dated to the 70's. Do yourself a favor and really pay attention to the lines and us people of the certain age will get all the references ie Kojak. Lol Enjoy! Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/28/23 Full Review Kimberly A A classic… fun, mystery, and comedy all in one. Love this movie. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/17/23 Full Review caitlyn h My all-time favorite movie. Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, San Francisco, albinism AND dwarves! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Foul Play

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Cast & Crew

Colin Higgins Director Goldie Hawn Gloria Mundy Chevy Chase Tony Carlson Burgess Meredith Mr. Hennessey Rachel Roberts Gerda Casswell Eugene Roche Archbishop Thorncrest
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Synopsis Librarian Gloria Mundy (Goldie Hawn) leads a relatively uneventful life. When she looks to shake things up, she somehow winds up in the middle of an assassination plot against the pope. Calling the police, Mundy meets the hapless detective Tony Carlson (Chevy Chase), who takes the case. During the course of the investigation, the two fall in love, but the assassin (Marc Lawrence) is still after Mundy -- and anyone with her -- to keep her from foiling the plot.

Director
Colin Higgins

Producer
Thomas L. Miller, Edward K. Milkis

Screenwriter
Colin Higgins

Distributor
Paramount Pictures

Production Co
Paramount Pictures

Rating
PG

Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Comedy

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 14, 1978, Original

Release Date (DVD)
Jan 1, 2013

Runtime
1h 56m
Most Popular at Home Now
Foul Play | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

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