Fear (1996)
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A wealthy family's peace is shattered when their teenage daughter begins a relationship with a mysterious and dangerous young man.
The story
The film revolves around the wealthy Walker family whose seemingly perfect life is threatened when teenage daughter Nicole begins dating David McCall, an attractive and mysterious young man who turns out to be a violent sociopath. Nicole lives in the suburbs of Seattle with her father, Steve, his new wife, Laura, and Laura's son, Toby. While Nicole is initially smitten by David, her father, Steve, becomes suspicious of the young man's true nature. The situation escalates as David's possessive and violent behavior begins to surface, creating a dangerous dynamic that threatens the safety of the entire family.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Sixteen-year-old Nicole Walker lives in the suburbs of Seattle with her father, Steve, his new wife, Laura, and Laura's son, Toby. Nicole becomes smitten with David McCall, a mysterious man who is later revealed to be a violent sociopath. Steve becomes suspicious of David after David's possessive behavior leads to him assaulting Nicole's friend, Gary. After Steve discovers David's troubled past and demands he stay away, David manipulates Nicole into believing Steve attacked him. Tensions peak when David's behavior turns violent, including the assault of Nicole's friend Margo and the murder of Gary. After a series of escalating confrontations, David and his friends invade the Walker home, where they take Steve and Laura hostage. During the chaotic confrontation, several members of David's group are neutralized. In the final confrontation, David attempts to kill Steve, but Nicole intervenes by stabbing David with a peace pipe. Steve then overpowers David and throws him out of a window, where he lands on rocks and dies instantly.
- First release year
- 1996
- Runtime (minutes)
- 96
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- James Foley
- Writers
- Christopher Crowe · writer
- Cast and characters
- Mark Wahlberg · David McCall; Reese Witherspoon · Nicole Walker; William Petersen · Steve; Alyssa Milano · Margo Masse; Amy Brenneman · Laura
- Genres
- psychological thriller; drama; teen
- Themes
- obsession; parental protection; youthful romance
- Tone and mood
- tense; suspenseful; threatening
- Premise and plot tags
- stalker; home invasion; psychopath
- Source material / true-story basis
- Original screenplay by Christopher Crowe
- Reception
- The film was largely derided by critics upon its release but became a sleeper hit and a cult film. It is noted for its strong performances and has seen a more positive critical reevaluation over time.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 46% · scale: percentage · review count: 39
- Awards and nominations
- MTV Movie Award · Best Villain · 1997 · nomination
- Production trivia
- Leonardo DiCaprio was considered for the lead role of David McCall.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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