Chapter 27 | Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes

Movies / TV

    Celebrity

      No Results Found

       View All       Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

      Chapter 27

      R Released Apr 4, 2008 1h 24m Drama List
      18% 49 Reviews Tomatometer 37% 5,000+ Ratings Audience Score In this dramatization, mentally disturbed Mark David Chapman (Jared Leto) arrives in 1980 New York City to stalk his idol, John Lennon (Mark Lindsay Chapman). Standing outside Lennon's apartment building every day, Chapman encounters fan Jude Hanson (Lindsay Lohan) and photographer Paul Goresh (Judah Friedlander), as well as the famous musician's son, Sean (Yuuki Hosokawa). While waiting for an autograph, Chapman grows increasingly unbalanced, leading to his infamous assassination of Lennon. Read More Read Less

      Where to Watch

      Chapter 27

      Peacock Prime Video

      Rent Chapter 27 on Prime Video, or buy it on Prime Video.

      Chapter 27

      What to Know

      Critics Consensus

      Despite Jared Leto's committed performance, Chapter 27 fails to penetrate to mind of Mark David Chapman, John Lennon's killer.

      Read Critics Reviews

      Audience Reviews

      View All (865) audience reviews
      Lindsey M Not a bad length and the plot moved relatively fast but the only thing that didn't feel predictable was Jared Leto's acting of Mark Chapman. Lindsay Lohan and the other actors made predictable choices and Leto is the only one who made me feel any semblance of suspense and anxiety watching. Worth watching if you get it for free purely because I feel it shows off Jared Leto's talent at making us feel the anxiety of a certain scene. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/12/22 Full Review matthew b Jared Leto gained 67 pounds for the role, and due to the rapid weight gain, the side effects Leto experienced were gout, elevated cholesterol levels, back pain, and an uneven heartbeat. All of that just for a 18% on Rotten Tomatoes. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Truly fascinating account of the assassin and his assassination of, perhaps, the most recognizable figure in music history. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member This psychological drama was really bad. Jared Leto, Lindsay Lohan, and the rest of the cast did a terrible job in this movie. This true story about Mark David Chapman, the psycho who killed the famous John Lennon was dark, depressing, and overdramatic. It's goes into the mind of a killer, which is something very uncomfortable to watch. If you haven't seen this movie yet, don't waste your time. It's not worth watching. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member I thought it was well paced and poignant. Considering the subject matter I thought the atmosphere was perfect. Leto's performance and commitment is perhaps his best work to me. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Emil T I must admit that I was a bit biased going into Chapter 27, with my pre-existing fascination for a dominate reference in the movie, J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, and its main character 'Holden Caulfield,' but that just wasn't enough to make me a fan. Holden was the primary influence on Mark David Chapman's decision to assassinate former Beatles frontman John Lennon (ironically, played by actor Mark Lindsay Chapman), who Chapman thought of as a "phony," a name Holden used over and over in Salinger's iconic novel. One-time teen idol Jared Leto (Requiem for a Dream) plays Chapman in J.P. Schaefer's Chapter 27 (based on Jack Jones' book Let Me Take You Down), taking method acting to a whole new personal level. Leto completely transforms himself into the delusional Chapman, even intentially putting on 67 pounds to play the part, and studying the killer's traits. Chapman tried to recreate Holden's fictional soul-searching journey in Manhattan, right before he shot and killed Lennon just outside the Dakota hotel he was staying at with wife Yoko Ono, who actually witnessed the incident herself. But Chapman's own story just isn't that interesting. Throw in a slow pace and a "tacky" supporting role by Lindsay Lohan, and you've got a sub-par movie that failed to spark any attention amongst moviegoers, and critics weren't impressed either. Chapter 27 (The Catcher has 26 chapters, in case you were wondering) wasn't all that bad, salvaged at times by Leto's steady effort and his recitals of full sentences--and paragraphs in some cases--of The Catcher, in all its glory. But this was a movie that many did not want to see made, and many others who'd refuse to even acknowledge its existence. Chapman was the most hated man in America that December 1980, and it seems that most still aren't ready to hear his side of the story. *This review was originally written in 2009. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/21 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

      Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

      More Like This

      View All Best Movies to Stream at Home
      39% 59% Local Color 46% 87% Green Street Hooligans 27% 47% Lions for Lambs 64% 52% Lymelife 58% 55% Interview Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

      Movie News & Guides

      View All Movie News & Guides

      This movie is featured in the following articles.

      Sundance Review: "Starting Out in the Evening" Is Funny; "Chapter 27" Needs to Lose Weight; "Once" Has Charms

      Photos

      View All Chapter 27 photos

      Chapter 27

      Chapter 27 (2007) Chapter 27 (2007) Chapter 27 (2007) Chapter 27 (2007) View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (49) Critics Reviews
      Deborah Ross The Spectator It does give a sense of disturbance, but after a while it gets irritating, as much of it is repetitive without either developing the story or adding significance. Aug 22, 2018 Full Review Ben Kenigsberg Time Out Rated: 1/5 Nov 16, 2011 Full Review Stephen Garrett Time Out Rated: 1/5 Nov 16, 2011 Full Review Niall Browne Movies in Focus Chapter 27 is a plodding curiosity of a film that ignores everything that could have made it interesting. Rated: 2/5 Jun 24, 2021 Full Review Bullz-Eye.com Rated: 1.5/5 Oct 18, 2008 Full Review Urban Cinefile Critics Urban Cinefile The eternal question of why Chapman shot Lennon is not answered. And that's probably because there IS no real reason. Jul 12, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis In this dramatization, mentally disturbed Mark David Chapman (Jared Leto) arrives in 1980 New York City to stalk his idol, John Lennon (Mark Lindsay Chapman). Standing outside Lennon's apartment building every day, Chapman encounters fan Jude Hanson (Lindsay Lohan) and photographer Paul Goresh (Judah Friedlander), as well as the famous musician's son, Sean (Yuuki Hosokawa). While waiting for an autograph, Chapman grows increasingly unbalanced, leading to his infamous assassination of Lennon.
      Director
      Jarrett Schaefer
      Producer
      Jared Leto, Gilbert Alloul, Rick Chad, John Flock, Gary Howsam, Lewin Webb
      Screenwriter
      Jarrett Schaefer
      Distributor
      Peace Arch Entertainment Group Inc.
      Production Co
      Peace Arch Entertainment Group, Artina Films
      Rating
      R (Some Sexual Content|Language)
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Apr 4, 2008, Limited
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Mar 29, 2017
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $55.7K
      Runtime
      1h 24m
      Most Popular at Home Now