8MM
Rent & Buy
A small, seemingly innocuous plastic reel of film leads surveillance specialist Tom Welles down an increasingly dark and frightening path. With the help of the streetwise Max, he relentlessly follows a bizarre trail of evidence to determine the fate of a complete stranger. As his work turns into obsession, he drifts farther and farther away from his wife, family and simple life as a small-town PI.
What critics thought
Critics largely savaged 8MM as grim and hollow, finding its descent into underground depravity more sordid than suspenseful and its script too thin to support the psychological weight the film reaches for. Roger Ebert was a notable dissenter, arguing the film earns its darkness by following through on consequences rather than using them as mere spectacle.
“8MM is a movie that keeps jumping the gate and finally unravels all over the floor.”
Derek Elley·Variety
“aims for a psychological depth that the script can't sustain”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“it is a real film. Not a slick exploitation exercise with all the trappings of depravity but none of the consequences. Not a film where moral issues are forgotten in the excitement of an action climax.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
Parents guide
- Violence
- severe
- Sex
- severe
- Profanity
- severe
- Substances
- moderate
- Intensity
- severe
Genres
Thriller, Crime, Mystery
Cast & Crew
Joel SchumacherDirector
Nicolas CageTom Welles
Joaquin PhoenixMax California
James GandolfiniEddie Poole
Peter StormareDino Velvet
Anthony HealdLongdale
Chris BauerMachine
Catherine KeenerAmy Welles
Myra CarterMrs. Christian
Amy MortonMrs. Mathews
Norman ReedusWarren Anderson
Anne Gee ByrdSenator
Mychael DannaComposer
Andrew Kevin WalkerWriter
Robert ElswitCinematography8MM
A small, seemingly innocuous plastic reel of film leads surveillance specialist Tom Welles down an increasingly dark and frightening path. With the help of the streetwise Max, he relentlessly follows a bizarre trail of evidence to determine the fate of a complete stranger. As his work turns into obsession, he drifts farther and farther away from his wife, family and simple life as a small-town PI.
What critics thought
Critics largely savaged 8MM as grim and hollow, finding its descent into underground depravity more sordid than suspenseful and its script too thin to support the psychological weight the film reaches for. Roger Ebert was a notable dissenter, arguing the film earns its darkness by following through on consequences rather than using them as mere spectacle.
“8MM is a movie that keeps jumping the gate and finally unravels all over the floor.”
Derek Elley·Variety
“aims for a psychological depth that the script can't sustain”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“it is a real film. Not a slick exploitation exercise with all the trappings of depravity but none of the consequences. Not a film where moral issues are forgotten in the excitement of an action climax.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
Parents guide
- Violence
- severe
- Sex
- severe
- Profanity
- severe
- Substances
- moderate
- Intensity
- severe
Genres
Thriller, Crime, Mystery
Cast & Crew
Joel SchumacherDirectorNicolas CageTom WellesJoaquin PhoenixMax CaliforniaJames GandolfiniEddie PoolePeter StormareDino VelvetAnthony HealdLongdaleChris BauerMachineCatherine KeenerAmy WellesMyra CarterMrs. ChristianAmy MortonMrs. MathewsNorman ReedusWarren AndersonAnne Gee ByrdSenatorMychael DannaComposerAndrew Kevin WalkerWriterRobert ElswitCinematographyRent & Buy