Arlington Road (1999)

A college professor begins to suspect that his neighbour is a terrorist.

Director:

Mark Pellington

Writer:

Ehren Kruger

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Bridges	...	Michael Faraday
Tim Robbins	...	Oliver Lang
Joan Cusack	...	Cheryl Lang
Hope Davis	...	Brooke Wolfe
Robert Gossett	...	FBI Agent Whit Carver
Mason Gamble	...	Brady Lang
Spencer Treat Clark	...	Grant Faraday
Stanley Anderson	...	Dr. Archer Scobee
Viviane Vives	...	Nurse
Lee Stringer	...	Orderly
Darryl Cox	...	Troopmaster
Loyd Catlett	...	Delivery Man
Sid Hillman	...	Phone Technician
Auden Thornton	...	Hannah Lang
Mary Ashleigh Green	...	Daphne Lang

Storyline

Widowed when his FBI agent wife is killed in an operation against terrorists, a college professor becomes increasingly obsessed with the culture and sub-society of these dangerous groups. The arrival of new neighbors, gives him new spirit, as they are gregarious and friendly, with two children that his son can be friends with. He is even beginning to see another woman. However, he begins to suspect something is odd about the neighbors, something about the way they don't want him to see certain parts of the house, or a set of blueprints they have there. Are his neighbors terrorists... or is the stress of losing his wife merely driving him past the point of paranoia?

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Plot Keywords:

professor | neighbor | fbi | college professor | terrorist | 

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Taglines:

On July 9, terror hits home.

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 July 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

O Suspeito da Rua Arlington

Filming Locations:

Houston, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$21,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$7,515,145 (USA) (9 July 1999)

Gross:

$24,362,501 (USA) (24 September 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Gems, Lakeshore Entertainment, Arlington Road Productions Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The car crash during the climactic chase scene was unplanned; the plan was for the car to duck behind the oncoming bus and complete the left turn. When the collision occurred, the car trunk sprung open, revealing the bright blue sandbags that had been placed there to allow certain stunts. The quick cuts following the collision are necessary to avoid showing the sandbags. Subsequent shots including the car had already been filmed, and show a markedly less-damaged car.

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Goofs

After the bombing at the end of the film, a red ford Taurus is seen driving down a thruway, the same car with visual resemblance to the one driven by Michael Faraday before the bombing.

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Quotes

Oliver Lang: [Talking about Grant] He's a good kid. A strong kid. Reminds me of a boy I grew up with. Maybe you've heard of him. Oliver Lang? I found him in the woods one day. I would hate for Grant to see the same thing.
Michael Faraday: You sick fuck!
Oliver Lang: You're the sick fuck!

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Connections

Referenced in Day by Day: A Director's Journey Part I (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Neon Reprise"
Written by Simon Shackleton & Howard Saunders
Performed by Lunatic Calm
Published by MCA Music Ltd. And Junkbond Ltd.
All rights for the Western Hemisphere and Southeast Asia
Controlled and administered by MCA Music Publishing, a Division of Universal Studios, Inc. (ASCAP)
Lunatic Calm courtesy of MCA Records UK
Under license from Universal Music Special Markets

User Reviews

Underplayed acting makes for a taught thriller

Bridges plays the same character as always, but fits nicely into this part. Robbins plays a very back stage part for most of the film, the main concentration is on the small minded paranoia of Bridges. Brilliant film which brings home some harsh, hard truths about American society and security. An interesting storyline, which excels beyond the average Hollywood thriller, the typical guessing game of the goodies and baddies plays a secondary role to the real story. A uniquely intelligent terrorist thriller from Hollywood. Don't miss it.