The Stepfather (2009)

Michael returns home from military school to find his mother happily in love and living with her new boyfriend. As the two men get to know each other, he becomes more and more suspicious of the man who is always there with a helpful hand.

Director:

Nelson McCormick

Writers:

J.S. Cardone (screenplay), Donald E. Westlake (earlier screenplay),

Stars:

Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dylan Walsh	...	David Harris
Sela Ward	...	Susan Harding
Penn Badgley	...	Michael Harding
Amber Heard	...	Kelly Porter
Sherry Stringfield	...	Leah
Paige Turco	...	Jackie Kerns
Jon Tenney	...	Jay
Nancy Linehan Charles	...	Mrs. Cutter
Marcuis Harris	...	Detective Shay
Braeden Lemasters	...	Sean Harding
Deirdre Lovejoy	...	Detective Tylar
Skyler Samuels	...	Beth Harding
Blue Deckert	...	Captain Mackie
Jason Wiles	...	Dylan Bennet
Kara Ortiz	...	Real Estate Assistant (as Kara Briola)

Storyline

Michael returns home from military school to find his mother happily in love and living with her new boyfriend. As the two men get to know each other, he becomes more and more suspicious of the man who is always there with a helpful hand.

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Plot Keywords:

military school | raised middle finger | falling off a roof | indoor swimming pool | lesbian couple | 

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Taglines:

This fall Daddy's home.

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing images, mature thematic material and brief sensuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [France] Official site [Mexico]

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

16 October 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Asesino en casa

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$11,581,586 (USA) (16 October 2009)

Gross:

$29,062,561 (USA) (20 November 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Gems, Maverick Films, Imprint Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Terry O'Quinn, the star of The Stepfather, was offered a cameo role in this film but he turned it down.

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Goofs

Whenever David went down for lemonade and was talking to Kelly, the sweat stain on his shirt disappears.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Leah: One female in her late 30s, three minors. Multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma.

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Connections

References America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back (1988)

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Soundtracks

"Secret Things"
Written and Performed by Ken Andrews
Courtesy of Dinosaur Fight Records
By Arrangement with Coda Music Inc.

User Reviews

It keeps your attention

Sitting down to watch "The Stepfather" (which I was shocked to discover it was a remake), I really had no idea what I would be getting myself into. With it being a PG-13 horror/thriller (a trend that let's admit hasn't been so hot in 2009 seeing how R-Rated horror films have made a good comeback), I figured it would be the typical sort of material you would find in any other movie like this: cheap thrills, teen heroins that look as though they've came from a Pac Sun or Axe photo shoot, and the slight placement (in this movie very frequent) of these teen characters in their swim suits. This movie is pretty much that, but with a twist: No Asian and/or stoner best friend! Also I must admit this movie is pretty entertaining, and greatly keeps your attention. Whether it's from laughing at the characters, or even dare I say it? Wrapped up in the story they build up so much almost to the point where we become annoyed.

"The Stepfather" is a movie that doesn't really impress, feels as though we've seen before, but is nevertheless in the end mindless fun. Okay the the most was how they sort of pulled off keeping the stepfather character Dave pretty anonymous and mysterious for the most part. Sure some things (such as how with all of the family's he's killed he's not ever taken a picture that turns up) are a bit TOO mysterious, but it's nice to know they tried too inform us on those things. I also really liked how the character who were on to him gave very thorough reasons as to why they think him not to be who he says he is. Next I really liked the atmosphere, not just because I'm a sucker for a really cool house as the primary setting, but it makes it feel like it could happen any and everywhere. I think the characters for the most part are likable, the main guy Michael is an okay character for the must part. I didn't exactly buy into him being this tough guy rebel (and I'm glad they didn't make him act that way in this movie), and I know he had cleaned up his act, but it feels like they're trying to make him something his character might just not be. The villain however Dave isn't exactly too likable, and in this type situation it seems to me like they're trying to make him appear to be this villain who can be likable and cool, and who's evilness you enjoy. Here it just doesn't work, and his character feels like he's been done before, and in much better ways. Also for this to be like his millionth family don't you think he came off as a little too menacing and mysterious. I mean don't draw attention to yourself, and maybe then everybody won't suspect you! The death scenes, were for the most part pretty laughable. They wern't really scary, or even new, or slightly original to say the lease. Just very plain. Which okay I get it, it's a PG-13 horror, and isn't exactly a full on slasher film, but it almost feels as though they didn't try. I mean okay get this a certain character appears to be in a hurry too get out her front door to make her way to the airport. She hears a noise coming from her pool, she goes outside to investigate the noise (it's storming by the way), she see's it's just an umbrella. Even though she's in a hurry, and it's storming; she gets this net or whatever, goes to the opposite end of where the umbrella is, and tries to get it......what do you think happens next? So how are we supposed to feel for these characters (on some occasions not caring for them at all) when they're dumb as can be, and have the most laughable death scenes. Which brings me more into the fact that this movie makes some characters seem so dumb. Particularly the girlfriend, I mean fine if you want to deny some clues that the stepfather might be a bad guy fine, but it carrys on to the point where you want to be in the situation just so you can make the character of Michael feel like he's not insane. I know that she didn't see what he saw, or heard what he heard, but even if you were totally clueless, and saw what she saw, and heard the pretty in depth reasons given, you wouldn't just deny everything. Last would be how everything is a little too set up, and how like the umbrella scenes, makes it seem dumb, and unoriginal. Sure I understand you need to build suspense, but there comes a point where you say "Would that really, truly, actually, happen!?" Oh and how the big showdown with the supposedly loose floorboards in the attic (in this relatively new house), suddenly can't support one person's weight. Oh and don't even get me started on that ending.

However although "The Stepfather" very well does have it's good share of flaws, this movie definitely keeps out attention, and it very entertaining. I guess it's a movie that was never really entirely meant to be taken all too seriously, but it's just a fun time. Although despite some flaws, which in some cases demeans the viewers intelligence, the film is like I said mindless fun, and should be taken as nothing more.