The River Rat (1984): cast, story & where to watch
1984 · Film · ★ 6.5
Released in 1984, The River Rat is a drama, crime, adventure and family film directed by Thomas Rickman, running about 94 minutes. “That ole man river...” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. On the lazy banks of the Mississippi, a young girl is reunited with her time-served but innocent father. But the reunion is tainted with the whereabouts of the stolen loot, and those who come looking for it...
Who’s in it. The River Rat stars Tommy Lee Jones as Billy, Martha Plimpton as Jonsy, Brian Dennehy as Doc Cole and Shawn Smith as Wexel, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.5/10, The River Rat has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $1.1M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The River Rat page.
If you liked it. Fans of The River Rat tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The River Rat (1984)?
- In US, The River Rat is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The River Rat worth watching?
- The River Rat holds an audience score of 6.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, crime, adventure and family. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The River Rat?
- The River Rat stars Tommy Lee Jones, Martha Plimpton, Brian Dennehy, Shawn Smith and Dan Hewitt Owens.
- When was The River Rat released?
- The River Rat was released in 1984, with a runtime of about 94 minutes.