Eye of the Beholder (1999)

A private eye shadows a female serial killer of men all over the U.S. without her knowing as he, strangely enough, occasionally acts as her guardian angel.

Director:

Stephan Elliott

Writers:

Marc Behm (novel), Stephan Elliott (screenplay)

Stars:

Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, Patrick Bergin

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ewan McGregor	...	Eye
Ashley Judd	...	Joanna
Patrick Bergin	...	Alexander Leonard
Geneviève Bujold	...	Dr. Jeanne Brault
k.d. lang	...	Hilary
Jason Priestley	...	Gary
Anne-Marie Brown	...	Lucy Wilson
Kaitlin Brown	...	Lucy Wilson
David Nerman	...	Mickey Argyle
Steven McCarthy	...	Paul Hugo
Vlasta Vrana	...	Mr. Hugo Sr.
Janine Theriault	...	Nathy
Don Jordan	...	Toohey
Maria Revelins	...	Ms. Keenan
Lisa Forget	...	Nurse

Storyline

British Consulate investigator Det. Stephen Wilson, a.k.a. the Eye, comes across a disturbed lady serial-killer while on an otherwise mundane assignment. Already a bit psychologically fragile from his wife's abrupt removal of herself and their daughter from his life (with the lingering memory of his daughter haunting him like a manifest ghost), his psychosis as a displaced dad dovetails with the femme fatale's psychosis as an abandoned daughter (crying "Merry Christmas, Daddy" over her expired victims). A bond forms, or, rather, an obsession, as the Eye abandons his job to secretively stalk this mysterious woman full-time as she visits many major U.S. cities under various names, leaving numerous victims.

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Plot Keywords:

femme fatale | female serial killer | chicago illinois | cigarette smoking | false identity | 

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Taglines:

Obsession is in the eye of the beholder.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some strong violence, sexuality, language and brief drug content

Did You Know?

Trivia

In official selection at the 1999 Venice Film Festival, the film would later become the #1 film at the American Box Office in its opening week in January 2000.

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Goofs

When the camera swings behind Stephen as he watches Joanna leave the hospital, there's a cigarette dangling form his lips, but when the camera changes immediately to a front shot, there is no cigarette.

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Quotes

Joanna: Congratulations, Daddy.

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Crazy Credits

The main title of the film is a shot of Ewan McGregor's eye, with the words 'of the beholder' underneath it.

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Alternate Versions

Canadian DVD offers a deleted scene (where the Eye has a final conversation with his daughter, via a dream sequence) and an alternate ending. The latter shows an epilogue after the crash, where we see the Eye standing at Joanne's grave. As he's leaving, he spots a young girl visiting her mother's nearby plot, and has a bonding moment with her.

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Connections

References Citizen Kane (1941)

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Soundtracks

I Wish You Love
(Que Reste-t-il de nos Amours ?)
Music by Charles Trenet and Léo Chauliac
French lyrics by Charles Trenet
English lyrics by Albert Beach
Produced by Marius De Vries
Performed by Chrissie Hynde
Used by permission of EMI Virgin Music, Inc.
Courtesy of Warner Music UK Limited

User Reviews

Decide For Yourself

I know people have already explained things from every viewpoint, but I still want to give my own opinion (fancy that).

I loved this film.

Granted, I wouldn't want to watch it endlessly for weeks on end, but I thought it to be a very original work of entertainment (yes, I meant entertainment). I'm so damn bored of all these pointless, predictable movies that seem to be overflowing the film industry. There's no real...art to them. Eye of the Beholder, while tedious and slow-paced in parts, was not like that. Some of that was due to the acting.

I've been a fan of Ewan McGregor for awhile now. I'll admit he was the reason I rented this movie in the first place. But after I saw it, I appreciated the whole aspect of it- not just him. Hell, I even went and got a copy of the bloody book.

I'm not saying you must, should or will even enjoy the movie. (Though, looking at the majority of the lot, most didn't). What I AM saying is that you should at least watch the movie and decide for yourself.



BloodyHell

(By the by- does anybody happen to know what sort of camera (model) the 'Eye' used? (The long silver one) I've been looking for one just like it...)

Details

Official Sites:

Urban Cinefile (Australia)

Country:

Canada UK Australia USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 January 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eye of the Beholder

Filming Locations:

Rue de Claire-Fontaine, Québec City, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,959,447, 30 January 2000

Gross USA:

$16,500,786

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$17,589,705

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ambridge Film Partnership, Behaviour Worldwide, Eye of the Beholder Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1