The Interrupters
Movie · Documentary · Crime

The Interrupters tells the moving and surprising stories of three “violence interrupters” – two men and a woman – who with bravado, humility and even humor try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they once employed. From acclaimed director Steve James and bestselling author Alex Kotlowitz, this film is an unusually intimate journey into the stubborn, persistence of violence in our cities. Shot over the course of a year, The Interrupters follows these individuals as they attempt to intervene in disputes before they turn violent: a family where two brothers threaten to shoot each other; an angry teenaged girl just home from prison; a young man on a warpath of a revenge. The film captures not only each interrupters’ work, but reveals their own inspired journeys from crime to hope and redemption.

2011 · 2h 5m
  • 99%
Starring Ameena Matthews, Cobe Williams, Eddie Bocanegra
Director Steve James

Trailers

  • The Interrupters
    Documentary

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Cast & Crew

  • A‌M
    Ameena Matthews
    Herself
  • C‌W
    Cobe Williams
    Himself
  • E‌B
    Eddie Bocanegra
    Himself
  • Steve James
    Director
  • Teddy Leifer
    Producer
  • Justine Nagan
    Producer
  • Gordon Quinn
    Producer
  • Steve James
    Producer
  • A‌K
    Alex Kotlowitz
    Producer
  • A‌K
    Alex Kotlowitz
    Writer

About

The Interrupters

Documentary

The Interrupters tells the moving and surprising stories of three “violence interrupters” – two men and a woman – who with bravado, humility and even humor try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they once employed. From acclaimed director Steve James and bestselling author Alex Kotlowitz, this film is an unusually intimate journey into the stubborn, persistence of violence in our cities. Shot over the course of a year, The Interrupters follows these individuals as they attempt to intervene in disputes before they turn violent: a family where two brothers threaten to shoot each other; an angry teenaged girl just home from prison; a young man on a warpath of a revenge. The film captures not only each interrupters’ work, but reveals their own inspired journeys from crime to hope and redemption.

99%

TOMATOMETER
Average 8.3
Reviews 92
Fresh 91
Rotten 1

Information

Studio
Journeyman Pictures
Released
2011
Run Time
2 hr 5 min
Rated
Unrated
Regions of Origin
United States, United Kingdom
© 2011 Kartemquin Films

Languages

Original Audio
English, English (United Kingdom)
Audio

English (United States) (AAC, ⁨Dolby 5.1⁩)

Subtitles

English (CC)

Accessibility

Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
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Select a country or region

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  • Armenia
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  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
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  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
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  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
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  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
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