Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Fear

  • 1996
  • R
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
59K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,219
86
Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon in Fear (1996)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer1:44
1 Video
99+ Photos
Psychological DramaPsychological ThrillerDramaThriller

When Nicole met handsome, charming, affectionate David, he was everything. It seemed perfect, but soon she sees that David has a darker side. And his adoration turns to obsession, their drea... Read allWhen Nicole met handsome, charming, affectionate David, he was everything. It seemed perfect, but soon she sees that David has a darker side. And his adoration turns to obsession, their dream into a nightmare, and her love into fear.When Nicole met handsome, charming, affectionate David, he was everything. It seemed perfect, but soon she sees that David has a darker side. And his adoration turns to obsession, their dream into a nightmare, and her love into fear.

  • Director
    • James Foley
  • Writer
    • Christopher Crowe
  • Stars
    • Mark Wahlberg
    • Reese Witherspoon
    • William Petersen
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    59K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,219
    86
    • Director
      • James Foley
    • Writer
      • Christopher Crowe
    • Stars
      • Mark Wahlberg
      • Reese Witherspoon
      • William Petersen
    • 225User reviews
    • 52Critic reviews
    • 51Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:44
    Trailer

    Photos250

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 244
    View Poster

    Top cast20

    Edit
    Mark Wahlberg
    Mark Wahlberg
    • David McCall
    Reese Witherspoon
    Reese Witherspoon
    • Nicole Walker
    William Petersen
    William Petersen
    • Steve Walker
    Amy Brenneman
    Amy Brenneman
    • Laura Walker
    Alyssa Milano
    Alyssa Milano
    • Margo Masse
    Christopher Gray
    • Toby
    Tracy Fraim
    Tracy Fraim
    • Logan
    Gary Riley
    Gary Riley
    • Hacker
    Jason Kristofer
    Jason Kristofer
    • Terry
    Jed Rees
    Jed Rees
    • Knobby
    Todd Caldecott
    • Gary Rohmer
    Gerry Bean
    Gerry Bean
    • Eddie Clark
    • (as John Oliver)
    David Fredericks
    David Fredericks
    • Larry O'Brien
    Rav Toor
    Rav Toor
    • Counterman
    • (as Ravinder Toor)
    Andrew Airlie
    Andrew Airlie
    • Alex McDowell
    Jo Bates
    Jo Bates
    • Julie Masse
    Will Sengotta
    • Kid at Door
    L. Harvey Gold
    L. Harvey Gold
    • Peterman
    • Director
      • James Foley
    • Writer
      • Christopher Crowe
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews225

    6.258.7K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    9UniqueParticle

    Imbues fear, the last half always leaves me disturbed!

    Excellent early film for both Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon. William Peterson was wonderful as the father, James Foley directed a great chilling experience with nice romance mashed in! Not your average thriller, boils your spine with edginess and genuine emotions; would only recommend to someone who doesn't mind having their mind radiated. I love this movie!
    drosse67

    Guilty Pleasures

    Reese Witherspoon appeared in two "guilty pleasure" flicks in 1996--Fear and Freeway. She's quite the commodity now but in the early to mid 90s, her choices were a little more interesting (The Man in the Moon is one of the few movies of the past fifteen years to make me choke up). Fear, on the other hand, is big budget exploitation, and it held my attention, even though I was too embarrassed to admit it at the time. Heck, even the tag line ("together forever...or else!") was cheap. The movie is basically Romeo and Juliet for the MTV crowd, but by the end it becomes a slick '90s version of "Straw Dogs." But the cast (including William Peterson, Amy Brenneman and, as one of the meanest characters in '90s film, Mark Wahlberg) does not act like this stuff is beneath them. And the finale, in Peterson's high tech house, was engrossing. No expectations going into this (which I recommend), but really not too bad, when all is said and done.
    5scarlettimogen

    Shocked at the high rating

    I mean it's ok but so dated and not in a good way. The acting is laughable in many places apart from the step mum and dad but definitely not worth the high rating on here. Easy to watch and it's fine but a 5 is all it deserves
    primrosemoon

    good actors + cool story + rollar coaster scene = good movie!

    This is a perfect movie for people who enjoy suspense, but don't mind if the film is not entirely intellectual or whatever. Mark Wahlberg is great to look at (so is Reese Witherspoon for the guys) and the story - though done before - is very engaging and watchable. The chemistry between David and Nicole before he goes wacko is great, too. I recommend this as a good film to rent for a "night with the girls" or if you are just in the mood for a thriller with real good looking people. Plus, Fox seems to put this movie on TV twice a year, as it was just on last night, and was on in August of '99. ENJOY!!
    7Theo Robertson

    Far Better Than I Expected It To Be

    I had very low hopes for FEAR . I'd read the synopsis in the TV guide and the plot sounded like one of those psycho killer stalker from hell thrillers that were being churned out without any thought in the mid 1990s . Considering it starred singer Marky Mark , Reese Witherspoon and William Petersen who's a rival to Eric Roberts in the straight to video / cable TV movie stakes I didn't think this was going to be up to much

    While not being a classic thriller FEAR certainly did hold my attention , probably because much of the characterisation is credible . All too often in this genre the actor or actress playing the villain really goes to town showing the audience what a bad ass they are thereby parodying the role . Mark Wahlberg as David is very restrained for the most part which makes David and credible character and his on screen chemistry with Reese Witherspoon's Nicole is believable , you can believe these two characters are genuinely in love with one another something that is all too rare in this type of movie

    I should also point out that much of the movie revolves around the interaction of Petersen's Mr Walker who is concerned about his daughter's relationship with David . You can't blame the guy for wanting what's best for his offspring and it enhances the credibility of the story . It's refreshing to have a more thoughtful approach to this type of genre because if people start turning up dead after 15 minutes then things start to get silly , so the violence is kept to a minimum until almost at the end of the movie which does suffer something of a plot hole because no one seems to have a mobile telephone at readily hand and don't tell me professional people didn't have mobile phones in 1996 . Also watch out for references to STRAW DOGS , THE SHINING and NOSFERATU at the climax

    Even if you're burned out on those 90s stalker from hell thrillers you could do worse than watch this on a wet Friday evening

    More like this

    Cruel Intentions
    6.8
    Cruel Intentions
    The Crush
    5.8
    The Crush
    Freeway
    6.8
    Freeway
    The Basketball Diaries
    7.3
    The Basketball Diaries
    Wild Things
    6.6
    Wild Things
    The Corruptor
    6.1
    The Corruptor
    Fear
    5.9
    Fear
    Sleeping with the Enemy
    6.3
    Sleeping with the Enemy
    The Substitute
    5.2
    The Substitute
    Fatal Attraction
    6.9
    Fatal Attraction
    Four Brothers
    6.8
    Four Brothers
    Aetbaar
    4.6
    Aetbaar

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Leonardo DiCaprio was looked at for the role of David McCall, DiCaprio didn't think he was right for the role, but he put in a good word for friend/co-star Mark Wahlberg to director James Foley after working with him on The Basketball Diaries (1995). Foley and Wahlberg spent the day hanging out and discussing the part before Wahlberg was later told by Foley that he really liked him but that he wouldn't be considered for the lead role of David McCall. Wahlberg was subsequently offered to come in to audition for one of David's criminal friends and impressed Foley so much with his audition that Foley told the studio that he would back out of directing the movie if Wahlberg didn't get to play David.
    • Goofs
      When David hits himself in the chest repeatedly after he talks with Mr. Walker, Nicole comes home and tells her dad that she saw bruises all over his chest, but shortly after David carves "Nicole 4 Eva" on his chest, there are no bruises or any marks.
    • Quotes

      David McCall: [At the door] It could have all been different, Mr. Walker. You should have allowed nature to take its course. In the end, it will anyway.

      [pause]

      David McCall: SO LET ME IN THE FUCKIN' HOUSE!

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Celtic Pride/Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie/Mrs. Winterbourne/The Substitute/Fear/Sweet Nothing (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      Jessica
      Written by Dickey Betts

      Performed by The Allman Brothers Band

      Courtesy of Polydor Records

      By Arrangement with PolyGram Special Markets

      Unichappell Music, Inc. & F.R. Betts Music Co.

      All Rights Administered by Unichappell Music, Inc. (BMI)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ21

    • How long is Fear?Powered by Alexa
    • Why are the police searching the water when the ending credits begin to roll? Did David's body go missing? Did they cut out a final scene where David wakes up miraculously and sneaks away in the water? Did the tide wash away his body? Please explain if someone knows? Or maybe this is another goof?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 12, 1996 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Canada
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Miedo
    • Filming locations
      • Mercer Island, Washington, USA
    • Production companies
      • Imagine Entertainment
      • UBCP/ACTRA
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $20,831,000
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,312,240
      • Apr 14, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $20,831,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • DTS-Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon in Fear (1996)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of Fear (1996) in Brazil?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.