--- title: "Easy Rider" year: 1969 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/easy-rider" fi1m_id: "easy-rider" imdb_id: "tt0064276" tmdb_id: 624 wikidata_id: "Q503638" fi1m_score: 76 critics_score: 80 critics_reviews: 8 published: "2026-09-26T16:55:41.025627+00:00" updated: "2026-09-26T16:55:42.159414+00:00" region: "SI" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Easy Rider (1969) Directed by Dennis Hopper · 1h 36m · Adventure, Drama ## Identity Easy Rider - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/easy-rider - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** easy-rider - **IMDb ID:** tt0064276 - **TMDB ID:** 624 - **Wikidata ID:** Q503638 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064276/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/624, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q503638 **Fi1m score: 76** · Critics 80 from 8 reviews *In a sentence:* We wanted to keep travelling through this America, though not necessarily with these men > Dennis Hopper’s road film is worth watching for its landscapes and Jack Nicholson’s persuasive humanity. The wandering has a pull, though thin characterisation sometimes leaves the scenery doing more work than the people. ## Synopsis Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) travel through America, beginning a journey whose freedom rests on drug dealing. They want to live outside the expectations of conventional society, but getting away does not settle what they are looking for. Alongside them in the story is George Hanson (Jack Nicholson), another figure in the film’s account of alienation and discontent. The road takes the men through American landscapes as they pursue the possibility of living differently, beyond the routines and obligations they want to escape. ## Review *Easy Rider* is worth the journey, though its men are not always the most rewarding company. Dennis Hopper makes a road film whose strongest passages give us time to look, and whose weaker ones ask us to supply more depth than the writing provides. The scenery and Jack Nicholson are reasons enough to stay with it. At 96 minutes, it has room to wander without becoming an ordeal, but some of the wandering is more absorbing than the rest. The drug-dealing premise complicates the film’s sympathy for men who want to live outside conventional society. The screenplay, credited to Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Terry Southern, leaves a useful awkwardness here: freedom does not become admirable simply because its seekers find ordinary life unsatisfactory. We do not need these men tidied up before taking an interest in them. The trouble is that the writing sometimes seems satisfied with having established their discontent, when there are further questions worth asking about it. László Kovács gives the landscapes enough weight to make travelling the film’s main pleasure. We were unexpectedly stirred by those views. The space in them makes the desire to keep moving easy to understand, and for a while that is enough to carry our interest in the men. The photography allows us to feel the attraction of their journey without needing to find every aspect of their behaviour sympathetic, which is a considerable part of why the film works. Donn Cambern’s editing helps the images gather into a loose, drifting journey, with individual impressions allowed to retain their force. That looseness suits Dennis Hopper’s direction, which rarely seems anxious to hurry us towards the next piece of information. It also gives the weaker passages room to expose themselves: when our interest in the people falters, another stretch of travelling cannot always restore it. A firmer cut might have helped in places, though too much tidiness would have cost the film something we value. Peter Fonda’s Wyatt and Dennis Hopper’s Billy can feel too dependent on what they represent, leaving us to supply some of the curiosity their characters ought to provoke. Jack Nicholson, as George Hanson, makes the film’s discontent easier to recognise as an individual person’s feeling. There is enough nuance in his performance to keep us interested without constantly translating him into a statement about America. His presence also makes the limitations of the central pair more noticeable, which is hardly his fault. For a road film, the balance between travelling and spending time with the travellers matters. Here, the landscapes carry more than their share, and the film’s interest in alienation occasionally becomes too general to be affecting. Still, its countercultural spirit has enough conviction to survive that vagueness. The wish to live differently remains recognisable, even when the men pursuing it have not made a particularly persuasive case for themselves. Anyone looking for a tightly built drama should make another choice. This rewards a willingness to spend time looking, and a tolerance for people whose dissatisfaction is easier to grasp than their intentions. Watch it when the prospect of going somewhere matters more than arriving promptly. *Fi1m score 76, published 26 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics respond warmly to Easy Rider, with praise clustering around its countercultural spirit, visual freedom and Jack Nicholson’s performance. The reviews repeatedly single out Nicholson for giving the film emotional weight and a persuasive expression of alienation. Hopper’s direction also draws praise for its fluid, observant movement, dreamlike passages and evocative landscapes. Several critics find that its account of social unease retains its force, rather than treating it solely as a document of its period. The reservations concern how convincingly the film makes its case and how consistently its craft holds up. The Hollywood Reporter argues that the drug-dealing premise weakens its argument, despite a strongly positive verdict. Den of Geek acknowledges its historical importance and visceral impact but finds the artistry uneven. The balance is favourable, though unavailable text for two reviews limits what can be said about the less enthusiastic responses. ## Straight answers **Is Easy Rider worth watching?** *Easy Rider* is worth watching for its landscapes and Jack Nicholson’s persuasive humanity, and we score it 76 out of 100. We find its drifting journey absorbing, though the central characters sometimes lack depth. It suits a patient appetite for a road film better than a wish for tightly built drama. **How long is Easy Rider, and what is it rated?** *Easy Rider* runs 1h 36m. It is an adventure and drama film. **Where can I watch Easy Rider in Slovenia?** *Easy Rider* is not on any streaming or rental service in Slovenia at the moment. It is available in 21 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is Easy Rider, and is it suitable for children?** *Easy Rider* carries a UK 18 certificate, so it is an adult film rather than a choice for children or younger teenagers. Its journey begins with drug dealing, but we cannot offer a specific assessment of violence or frightening material from the certificate alone; squeamish viewers should not take that as reassurance. **How does Easy Rider compare to Five Easy Pieces?** *Easy Rider* offers the more landscape-led journey, while we recommend [*Five Easy Pieces*](https://film.one/film/five-easy-pieces) as the stronger choice for character-focused drama. Both explore dissatisfaction, with Jack Nicholson giving it a recognisable human presence. The former asks for patience with thinly drawn travellers; the latter gives us a difficult man worth spending time with, though it sometimes indulges his behaviour. **What should I watch after Easy Rider?** After *Easy Rider*, try [*Five Easy Pieces*](https://film.one/film/five-easy-pieces) (1970, Fi1m 88): Another unsettled American journey, with Jack Nicholson making dissatisfaction hard to dismiss. Then [*Vagabond*](https://film.one/film/vagabond) (1985, Fi1m 90): For a harder look at freedom, isolation and life without shelter; and [*The Motorcycle Diaries*](https://film.one/film/the-motorcycle-diaries) (2004, Fi1m 77): Another journey across a continent, with more faith in what travel can teach. ### Reviews we read (8) - **Radio Times**, Tom Hutchinson (★★★★★): The critic praises the film’s mythic force and its influence on road movies. They single out Jack Nicholson’s performance as an eloquent expression of youthful alienation. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-c97jza/easy-rider/) - **Slant Magazine**, Chuck Bowen (4.5/5): Bowen finds the film timeless, with its diagnosis of modern social malaise gaining force over time. He praises Hopper’s vivid, dreamlike visual flow and the film’s evocative landscapes. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/easy-rider/) - **RogerEbert.com** (85/100, inferred): The retrospective review presents the film favorably. It singles out the film’s countercultural spirit as a key strength. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-easy-rider-1969) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, John Mahoney (82/100, inferred): Mahoney gives the film a strongly positive verdict, while noting that its drug-dealing premise weakens its argument. He especially praises Jack Nicholson’s performance as the film’s emotional and thematic anchor. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/easy-rider-review-movie-1969-1221117/) - **Variety**, Gene Moskowitz (80/100, inferred): Moskowitz finds the film perceptive, poetic, and far above typical films on the subject. He praises Hopper’s fluid, observant direction and the film’s evocative visual style. [Read](https://variety.com/1969/film/reviews/easy-rider-1117790631/) - **The New York Times**, Vincent Canby (65/100, inferred): The article appears to be a review, but its verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be verified from the inaccessible page. The available page text provides no review details. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1969/07/15/archives/easy-rider-a-statement-on-film.html) - **Time Out**, CPe (64/100, inferred): The page identifies itself as a film review, but its review text is unavailable, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No specific praise or complaint is visible in the supplied material. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/easy-rider-1) - **Den of Geek**, Michael Leader (2 out of 5): The critic finds the film’s historical importance and visceral impact undeniable, though its artistry is uneven. He praises Jack Nicholson’s nuanced performance but considers the Blu-ray package underwhelming and its ending awkward. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/easy-rider-blu-ray-review/) ## Details - **Director:** Dennis Hopper - **Director:** Dennis Hopper - **Writer:** Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Terry Southern - **Cinematography:** László Kovács - **Editor:** Donn Cambern - **Producer:** Peter Fonda - **Cast:** Peter Fonda as Wyatt; Dennis Hopper as Billy; Jack Nicholson as George Hanson; Antonio Mendoza as Jesus; Phil Spector as Connection; Mac Mashourian as Bodyguard; Warren Finnerty as Rancher; Tita Colorado as Rancher's Wife - **Runtime:** 1h 36m - **First release (France):** 12 May 1969 - **Genres:** Adventure, Drama - **Budget:** $400,000 - **Box office:** $60 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlfpTppsR0U ## Where to watch in Slovenia Not streaming, renting or buying in Slovenia at the last check. Also available in: AE, AT, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CZ, DE, FR, GB, IE, IT, LT, PT, RO, RS, SE, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1970: Best Supporting Actor (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Five Easy Pieces* (1970), Fi1m 88: Another unsettled American journey, with Jack Nicholson making dissatisfaction hard to dismiss. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/five-easy-pieces.md) - *Alice in the Cities* (1974): A gentler road film that lets unplanned company change the journey. - *Vagabond* (1985), Fi1m 90: For a harder look at freedom, isolation and life without shelter. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/vagabond.md) - *The Motorcycle Diaries* (2004), Fi1m 77: Another journey across a continent, with more faith in what travel can teach. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-motorcycle-diaries.md) - *The Straight Story* (1999), Fi1m 88: A slower American road journey, with patience for the people along it. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-straight-story.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/easy-rider