Source Code (2011)
86%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 8 nominations
Finding the human story amidst the action, director Duncan Jones and charming Jake Gyllenhaal craft a smart, satisfying sci-fi thriller
Source Code is a sci-fi thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. It’s like Groundhog Day meets The Twilight Zone, with a dash of Hitchcock thrown in for good measure. The pacing is excellent, and the emotional arc keeps you invested in the story. Plus, Michelle Monaghan adds depth and humanity to her character, making her more than just a romanticized caricature. Sure, there are a few plot holes, but they’re easy to overlook when you’re having this much fun. Overall, Source Code is a must-see for sci-fi fans and anyone who loves a good puzzle-filled ride.
Production Company(ies)
Jalem Productions,
Distributor
Summit Entertainment
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Cité du Cinéma, Montréal, Québec, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for some violence including disturbing images, and for language
Year of Release
2011
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital DTS Dolby SR
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 29m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 1, 2011 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 26, 2011
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Brent Skagford, Cas Anvar, directed by Duncan Jones, written by Ben Ripley, action, sci-fi, PG-13, box office performance, $54.7M, reviewed by Una LaMarche, Peter Howell, John Swansburg, Frank Lovece, Scott Foundas, Claudia Puig, Michael Clark, Cory Woodroof, Mike Massie, Richard Propes, Debbie Lynn Elias, helicopter pilot, military operation, commuter-train explosion, time travel, ticking-time-bomb plot, Groundhog Day, thriller, suspense, romance, emotional ending, Mark Gordon, Philippe Rousselet, Jordan Wynn, produced by Summit Entertainment, Dolby Digital
Worldwide gross: $147,332,697
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $193,963,182
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 713
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 21,151,928
US/Canada gross: $54,712,227
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $72,028,531
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 907
US/Canada opening weekend: $14,812,094
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $19,500,090
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 668
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $32,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $42,127,932
Production budget ranking: 911
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $22,685,891
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $129,149,359
ROI to date (est.): 199%
ROI ranking: 629
Michelle Monaghan – Christina
Vera Farmiga – Goodwin
Jeffrey Wright – Rutledge
Brent Skagford – Troxel
Cas Anvar – Hazmi
Director(s)
Duncan Jones
Writer(s)
Ben Ripley
Producer(s)
Mark Gordon, Philippe Rousselet, Jordan Wynn
Film Festivals
South by Southwest
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (264) | Top Critics (71) | Fresh (242) | Rotten (22)
Ultimately, Source Code makes good on its Hitchcockian opening sequence — it may pale in comparison to the master, but it’s a fun, puzzle-filled ride, with excellent pacing and a mounting uneasiness that recalls the best episodes of The Twilight Zone.
March 23, 2014
Una LaMarche
Observer
TOP CRITIC
Source Code is a sci-fi thriller that simply shouldn’t work as well as it does.
March 23, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Peter Howell
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
It’s this emotional arc underlying the ticking-time-bomb plot that keeps the movie from succumbing to its flaws.
March 23, 2014
John Swansburg
Slate
TOP CRITIC
A thoroughly original, imaginative and fast-flying tale in which the Groundhog Day aspects are secondary to a story of service, honor and dedication.
March 23, 2014
Frank Lovece
Newsday
TOP CRITIC
Jones … has a light touch of the sort that enlivens the material without trivializing it-think of it as tongue delicately navigating the perimeter of cheek
June 20, 2013
Scott Foundas
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Holes in logic get swept aside by the brisk pace and stimulating tale.
January 3, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
Claudia Puig
USA Today
TOP CRITIC
It might and does take until the last scene to do so, but every plot thread is sewn-up, and there isn’t a clue doled out along the way that doesn’t make sense or fit into the final puzzle. Its as close to perfect as a screenplay can get.
March 21, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Michael Clark
Epoch Times
The cast is great, the plot is quite ingenious and the runtime is nothing too overbearing.
February 11, 2022
Cory Woodroof
Lumination Network
What begins as a highly engaging science-fiction quandary steadily devolves into a less sincere and confusing predicament that opens itself up for a multitude of plot-holes.
November 30, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Michelle Monaghan adds tremendous depth and humanity to a woman who could have easily just been a romanticized caricature or afterthought.
September 24, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
Source Code is a really strong film. It is a significantly more “pop” film than Moon was and will probably reach a wider audience.
April 3, 2020
Ed Travis
Hollywood Jesus
As he did with Moon, [Duncan] Jones, together with screenwriter [Ben] Ripley, tackle concepts few dare to imagine let alone address.
November 16, 2019
Debbie Lynn Elias
Behind The Lens…
Plot
Army Captain Colter Stevens finds himself working on a special program where his consciousness can be inserted into another human being. The only catch is can only be there for 8 minutes at any given time. That morning, a bomb exploded on a commuter train just outside Chicago. He occupies the body of teacher going to work on that train and is confused as to what he is doing or why he is there as his last memory is of flying his helicopter on a combat mission in Afghanistan. Those in charge of the program explain to him that there is a bomb on the train, and that he must locate it. More importantly, he must identify the bomber as another bombing is expected later that day. He is also told however that he cannot change the past and can only gather information. As he develops a liking for his traveling companion Christina, he sets out to test that theory.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Source Code.
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