Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley is an American director born in Lindenhurst, New York, celebrated for deadpan, philosophically dense independent films built on stylized, aphoristic dialogue. The Unbelievable Truth and Trust established his distinctive minimalist style, combining flat line delivery with unexpectedly profound philosophical musings among ordinary suburban Long Island characters. Amateur and Simple Men extended his fascination with characters delivering searching philosophical dialogue within deliberately artificial, restrained performance style. Henry Fool, following a mysterious drifter's influence on a shy garbage man who becomes a celebrated poet, became one of his most acclaimed and expansive works, later extended into sequels. Hartley's deadpan, philosophically dense dialogue style made him one of the defining voices of 1990s American independent cinema.
Hal Hartley
32 Directed
2 Series
Hal Hartley is an American director born in Lindenhurst, New York, celebrated for deadpan, philosophically dense independent films built on stylized, aphoristic dialogue. The Unbelievable Truth and Trust established his distinctive minimalist style, combining flat line delivery with unexpectedly profound philosophical musings among ordinary suburban Long Island characters. Amateur and Simple Men extended his fascination with characters delivering searching philosophical dialogue within deliberately artificial, restrained performance style. Henry Fool, following a mysterious drifter's influence on a shy garbage man who becomes a celebrated poet, became one of his most acclaimed and expansive works, later extended into sequels. Hartley's deadpan, philosophically dense dialogue style made him one of the defining voices of 1990s American independent cinema.
Movies
Director
La Commedia
2014
Director
Amateur
1994
Director
Flirt
1996
Director
Trust
1990
Director
Henry Fool
1998
Director
Simple Men
1992
Director
The Unbelievable Truth
1990
Director
No Such Thing
2002
Director
Fay Grim
2007
Director
Ned Rifle
2015
Director
Where to Land
2025
Director
Surviving Desire
1992
Director
Iris
1994
Director
The Girl from Monday
2005
Director
Kimono
2000
Director
The Book of Life
1998
Director
NYC 3/94
1994
Director
Dogs
1988
Director
Meanwhile
2011
Director
Opera No. 1
1994
Director
A/Muse
2010
Director
Ambition
1992
Director
Theory of Achievement
1991
Director
Kid
1984
Director
The Cartographer's Girlfriend
1987
Director
The New Math(s)
2001
Latest Trailers
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Adrienne
Full Filmography
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Hal Hartley and where are they from?
Hal Hartley is 66 years old, born on November 3, 1959 in Lindenhurst, Long Island, New York, USA.
What are the most famous roles of Hal Hartley?
Hal Hartley is best known for directing Trust, The Unbelievable Truth, Henry Fool.
How many movies has Hal Hartley directed?
Over a 42-year career (since 1984), Hal Hartley has directed or written 32 films and worked on 2 TV shows.
What was Hal Hartley's first movie?
The career of Hal Hartley began with Tour de France ().
What is Hal Hartley's most recent movie or series?
Hal Hartley's most recent release is Where to Land, which premiered on September 12, 2025.
What TV shows has Hal Hartley created or directed?
On television, Hal Hartley has appeared in Red Oaks, American Playhouse.
Hal Hartley
1959-11-03 · Lindenhurst, Long Island, New York, USA
Hal Hartley (born November 3, 1959) is an American film director, screenwriter, and composer, who became a key figure in the American independent film movement of the 1980s and 1990s. He is best known for his films Trust, Amateur and Henry Fool, which are notable for deadpan humour and offbeat characters quoting philosophical dialogue. His films provided a career launch for a number of actors, including Adrienne Shelly, Edie Falco, Martin Donovan, Parker Posey, Karen Sillas and Elina Löwensohn. Hartley frequently scores his own films using his pseudonym Ned Rifle, and his soundtracks regularly feature music by indie rock acts Yo La Tengo and PJ Harvey.Hal Hartley, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.