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The Negotiator (1998)

 -  Action | Crime | Drama  -  29 July 1998 (USA)
7.2
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Ratings: 7.2/10 from 77,213 users   Metascore: 62/100
Reviews: 267 user | 123 critic | 23 from Metacritic.com

In a desperate attempt to prove his innocence, a skilled police negotiator accused of corruption and murder takes hostages in a government office to gain the time he needs to find the truth.

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Title: The Negotiator (1998)

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2 wins & 6 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Danny Roman
...
Chris Sabian
...
Adam Beck
...
Grant Frost
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Chief Al Travis
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Terence Niebaum
...
Maggie
...
Rudy
...
Bruce Beatty ...
Markus
...
Palermo
...
Eagle
Tim Kelleher ...
Argento
...
Scott
...
Hellman
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Storyline

In the midst of an elaborate conspiracy, an expert negotiator is driven to the edge when he's framed for the murder of his partner, as well as embezzling money from his department's pension fund. His only chance to prove his innocence is to take hostages himself, acquire the services of another expert negotiator, and find out who's running the conspiracy before it's too late. Written by Ted Walters

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

He frees hostages for a living. Now he's taking hostages to survive. See more »


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

|

Language:

Release Date:

29 July 1998 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

El mediador  »

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£447,191 (UK) (27 November 1998)

Gross:

£1,484,716 (UK) (1 January 1999)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

|

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is dedicated to the late actor J.T. Walsh. See more »

Goofs

When Danny is lifted into the ambulance while on the stretcher, his feet are towards the back. Once inside the ambulance, his head is towards the back. See more »

Quotes

Lieutenant Danny Roman: A quick lesson in lying. See, this is what us real cops do: We study liars. Example: If I ask you a question about something visual, like your favorite color, your eyes go up and to the left. Neurophysiology tells us your eyes go in that direction, because you're accessing the visual cortex. So you're telling the truth. If your eyes go up and right, you're accessing the brain's creative centers and we know you're full of shit.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in The Kill Point: Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolf, Part 1 (2007) See more »

Soundtracks

"Doin' What I Did"
(1994)
Performed and Written by Dwight Yoakam
Courtesy of Reprise Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Markets
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Good Solid Hollywood Entertainment -- No More No Less
5 January 2008 | by (Oakland, CA) – See all my reviews

"The Negotiator" is neither a deep film that might cause serious contemplation of social issues nor a radically different experimental experience. It is simply a star-studded action thriller designed to allow the audience to escape into the world of Chicago hostage squad cops. A wrongfully accused negotiator/cop, played at about 300+ degrees Fahrenheit by Samuel Jackson matches wits with another negotiator, Kevin Spacey, who does his best to keep Jackson from reaching the boiling point. Briefly, Jackson is caught in the middle of an extortion scandal involving the lifting of millions of dollars from the policeman's pension fund. When Jackson's partner becomes aware of the secret heist, he is taken out, and the powers behind the white-collar corporate dealings use Jackson as the scapegoat. Jackson then retaliates by using extra-legal means.

What makes this movie are the performances by both Jackson and Spacey, with good performances by the supporting cast, including the late J.T. Walsch who made a career of playing heartless and emotionless middle-age men. And John Spencer is also involved as the Chief of Police, shortly before he was promoted to the White House Chief of Staff in "The West Wing".

The movie goes a mile a minute but is suffused with an interesting enough storyline to make it well worth the price of admission. Some of what happens is ludicrous when you really think about it, but you tend to just run with it. Not a bad way to kill two hours, and you could do a lot worse.


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