Primal Fear (1996)
85%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
10 wins & 12 nominations total
Primal Fear is a straightforward yet entertaining thriller elevated by a crackerjack performance from Edward Norton
Primal Fear is a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what’s going to happen next. The plot is intense, the characters are complex, and the acting is superb. Edward Norton’s performance is particularly impressive, and it’s no wonder he became an instant star after this movie. The dialogue is snappy, the suspense is palpable, and the twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end. If you’re in the mood for a tense psychological thriller, Primal Fear is definitely worth a watch. Just don’t forget to bring a stress ball to squeeze during the more intense scenes!
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for brief grisly violence, pervasive strong language and a sex scene
Year of Release
1996
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:2h 9m
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Language(s):English, Spanish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 3, 1996 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2007
Genre(s)
Crime/Mystery & thriller
Keyword(s)
starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Ed Norton, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormand, directed by Gregory Hoblit, written by Steve Shagan, Ann Biderman, crime, mystery, thriller, R rating, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Nell Minow, Peter Stack, James Berardinelli, Roger Ebert, Alison Macor, Susan Stark, Wesley Lovell, Kat Halstead, Mike Massie, Eve Tushnet, David Nusair, produced by Gary Lucchesi, Robert McMinn
Worldwide gross: $102,616,183
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $195,868,178
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 701
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 21,359,670
US/Canada gross: $56,116,183
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $107,111,512
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 702
US/Canada opening weekend: $9,871,222
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $18,841,651
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 687
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $30,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $57,262,365
Production budget ranking: 707
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $30,835,784
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $107,770,029
ROI to date (est.): 122%
ROI ranking: 846
Laura Linney – Janet Venable
Ed Norton – Aaron Stampler
John Mahoney – John Shaughnessy
Alfre Woodard – Judge Miriam Shoat
Frances McDormand – Dr. Molly Arrington
Gary Lucchesi – Producer
Robert McMinn – Producer
Gregory Hoblit – Director
Steve Shagan – Writer
Ann Biderman – Writer
Director(s)
Gregory Hoblit
Writer(s)
Steve Shagan, Ann Biderman
Producer(s)
Gary Lucchesi, Robert McMinn
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
10 wins & 12 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (36) | Rotten (11)
June 28, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Nell Minow
Movie Mom
TOP CRITIC
June 18, 2002 | Rating: 4/4
Peter Stack
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
The plot is as good as crime procedurals get, but the movie is really better than its plot because of the three-dimensional characters.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3.5/5
Alison Macor
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/4
Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
A presumably innocent man and a justice-seeking defense lawyer delve into a complex tangle of crime and murder in Primal Fear, a sometimes grating, sometimes invigorating courtroom drama mixed with investigative police procedural.
February 12, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Wesley Lovell
Cinema Sight
A tense psychological thriller rich with shadowy menace and a sense of confidence that allows the impressive cast to shine.
June 23, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Kat Halstead
Common Sense Media
It’s part trial procedural but mostly the suspenseful unraveling of testimony and the realization of lies.
September 24, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
The part of the script that’s dialogue instead of plot is quite snappy. So I believed in this sordid story… for a while.
March 13, 2019
Eve Tushnet
Patheos
…a solid drama that’s elevated on an all-too-consistent basis by Norton’s impressively hypnotic work.
May 7, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Edward Norton became an instant star after making a splashy, Oscar-nominated performance in this well-executed horror thriller.
May 1, 2011 | Rating: B+
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com…
Plot
When a young man, Aaron, is charged with the horrific murder of Archbishop Rushman, hot-shot Chicago lawyer Martin Vail takes on his defense at no charge. Aaron was a homeless street kid before he was taken in by the Archbishop. He’s shy and speaks with a stammer. Vail is convinced that Aaron is innocent but after discovering a video that shows Aaron may have had good reason to want the Archbishop dead, he begins to question that conclusion. When Aaron lashes out at the psychologist examining him another personality, Roy, is revealed. With the trial already underway, Vail cannot change Aaron plea and so has to find a way to introduce his client’s condition. Aaron has something of a surprise for him as well.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Edward Norton’s “crackerjack performance” in Primal Fear.
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