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 Brancato, Michael Ferris

Stars:

Sandra Bullock, Jeremy Northam, Dennis Miller

2 wins & 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	...	Imposter
Ken Howard	...	Bergstrom
Ray McKinnon	...	Dale
Daniel Schorr	...	WNN Anchor
L. Scott Caldwell	...	Public Defender
Robert Gossett	...	Ben Phillips
Kristina Krofft	...	Nurse #1
Juan Garcia	...	Resort Desk Clerk (as Juan García)
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 of computer espionage.

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Plot Keywords:

computer | identity | identity theft | computer hacker | chat room | 

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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)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,037,745, 30 July 1995

Gross USA:

$50,727,965

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$110,627,965

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Winkler Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR SDDS (8 channels)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When in the chat room, she is supposedly using text-to-speech software. Although this was first demonstrated during the original unveiling of the Mac in 1984, it was just was coming into popularity at the time of this film. In actual fact, they did not actually use this software. Rather, in order for the speech to flow a bit smoother, they ran normal voices through signal processing gear.

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Goofs

When Angela is driving in the BMW on the Highway with the police car behind her, the raindrops on the side window are going down on it vertically, but they should be blown a little backwards by the airstream. Also the raindrops on the windscreen of the police car should go upwards to the roof because of the airstream, but they just run down on it.

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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 The Bad Boys of Saturday Night Live (1998)

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Soundtracks

Blanca Rosa
Written by Alfredo Lopez

User Reviews

'The Fugitive' Meets AOL

Nostalgia may play a large part of my positive feelings towards this film as I watched it repeatedly on video with my younger sister as a teen. Back then "the net" was a new and largely undiscovered frontier, and this film romanticized hackers and the seemingly mysterious world wide web.

I would liken this to a less ambitious version of 'The Fugitive', a film that released two years prior (and by most accounts a superior thriller). Much of what happens in the course of this film is standard fare, but it is presented with a semblance of realism and never seems to hit any lulls or real snags in rhythm despite the frenetic pacing. The plot isn't entirely plausible or devoid of clichés, but it remains interesting from start to finish, and Bullock carries the role well.

There are scattered scenes that show astute directing on the part of Irwin Winkler, though some of the secondary characters give uneven performances. However, Bullock does an admirable service at depicting a frumpy insular woman uncomfortable with her own sexuality and outer beauty. Her character is both resourceful and vulnerable at once, and it's a fresh pace to see a female lead with some layers to peel back in a genre dominated by men. Dennis Miller is very likable in his role, and ably acts the part with a more downplayed version of his real life persona. He was my favorite character by far and brought a lot of warmth to the role.

I'm usually very critical of any movies I see, and am generally turned off by standard Hollywood fodder, but there is a certain charm to 'The Net' that I can't deny. I liked it in '95, and I like it again almost twenty years later. Like visiting an old friend, there's a familiarity to it that is so hopelessly 90's and so reminiscent of a bygone era--the inception of the internet age--that it carries a certain weight to me unmatched by the multitude of forgettable popcorn thrillers of the decade.