The Net (1995)

A computer programmer stumbles upon a conspiracy, putting her life and the lives of those around her in great danger.

Director:

Irwin Winkler

Writers:

John D. Brancato, Michael Ferris

Stars:

Sandra Bullock, Jeremy Northam, Dennis Miller

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sandra Bullock	...	Angela Bennett
Jeremy Northam	...	Jack Devlin
Dennis Miller	...	Dr. Alan Champion
Diane Baker	...	Mrs. Bennett
Wendy Gazelle	...	Ruth Marx
Ken Howard	...	Michael Bergstrom
Ray McKinnon	...	Dale Hessman
Daniel Schorr	...	WNN Anchor
L. Scott Caldwell	...	Public Defender
Robert Gossett	...	Ben Phillips
Kristina Krofft	...	Nurse #1
Juan García	...	Resort Desk Clerk
Tony Perez	...	Mexican Doctor
Margo Winkler	...	Mrs. Raines
Gene Kirkwood	...	Stan Whiteman

Storyline

Angela Bennett's a software engineer type who works from home and has few friends outside of cyberspace. Taking her first vacation in years she becomes embroiled in a web (sic) of computer espionage.

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Plot Keywords:

computer | identity | vacation | conspiracy | secret | 

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Taglines:

Her driver's license. Her credit cards. Her bank accounts. Her identity. DELETED.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, some sexuality and brief strong language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

28 July 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

La red

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Convention Center - 1201 S. Figueroa Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$50,728,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Winkler Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR SDDS (8 channels) Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors arcade unit can be seen in this film.

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Goofs

At the Cathedral, after Angela tries to delete her profile at fake Angela's computer, she approaches the window to check out the fire engines outside. The opposite building bears the flag of USA. You can see this flag overhead the crowd of Cathedral employees at the next scene (the scene when the fake Angela asks the fireman about the smoke). This means that the Cathedral employees are just somewhere near the flag but at Angela's perspective, the crowd of Cathedral employees are nowhere near the flag.

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Quotes

Angela: Just think about it. Our whole world is sitting there on a computer. It's in the computer, everything: your, your DMV records, your, your social security, your credit cards, your medical records. It's all right there. Everyone is stored in there. It's like this little electronic shadow on each and everyone of us, just, just begging for someone to screw with, and you know what? They've done it to me, and you know what? They're gonna do it to you.

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Connections

Referenced in Killing Mr. Griffin (1997)

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Soundtracks

"A WHITER SHADE OF PALE"
Written by Keith Reid & Gary Brooker
Performed by Annie Lennox
Courtesy of BMG Records (UK) Ltd./Arista Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Not to be taken internally or seriously...

In the dim, dead, dark days preceding my ownership of a PC, I was rather intrigued with the movie. Very Hitchcockian in its tone, and kind of a David-beats-Goliath theme that every one can relate to (Apple vs. Microsoft, employee vs. boss, ad infinitum). Seven years hence...I realize that many of the governmental entities supposedly "hacked" were, at the time of this movie, utilizing systems built when leisure suits were still the rage--and IBM was lord and master of the computer domain. Granted, hackers can be considered a real and acknowledged threat, but we should take this movie for what it is...Just some passably good entertainment and not too representative of R/T (Real Time for all you Netsurfing newbies). However, the plot remains fundamentally sound, and not too taxing on the mind.

Sandra Bullock gave a reasonably credible performance as programmer/support tech/consultant Angela Bennett. I realize that sex appeal fuels Hollywood, and it IS possible to have beauty and brains. But the story seems to have some fundamental flaws. What are the odds that NO one would know who you really were...It's impossible to think that we really have become the so-called "ghosts in the machine". As long as we have receipts, hard copies,friends and loved ones, we won't be caught in "The Net."

Some good performances by the smooth but irreverent Dennis Miller, and by the suave but deadly Jeremy Northam make for a movie worth watching when there's nothing better on the boob tube...Or if you're a closet geek like yours truly, you call friends and laugh about all the inaccuracies.