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IMDbPro

Payback

  • 19991999
  • RR
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
138K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,325
239
Mel Gibson in Payback (1999)
Clip: Hey Porter
Play clip0:42
Payback
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Crime
  • Drama
After a successful heist, Porter is left for dead. Once he recovers, he seeks vengeance and wants his share of the money.After a successful heist, Porter is left for dead. Once he recovers, he seeks vengeance and wants his share of the money.After a successful heist, Porter is left for dead. Once he recovers, he seeks vengeance and wants his share of the money.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
138K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,325
239
  • Director
    • Brian Helgeland
  • Writers
    • Donald E. Westlake(novel "The Hunter")
    • Brian Helgeland(screenplay)
    • Terry Hayes(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Mel Gibson
    • Gregg Henry
    • Maria Bello
Top credits
  • Director
    • Brian Helgeland
  • Writers
    • Donald E. Westlake(novel "The Hunter")
    • Brian Helgeland(screenplay)
    • Terry Hayes(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Mel Gibson
    • Gregg Henry
    • Maria Bello
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 437User reviews
    • 117Critic reviews
    • 46Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Payback
    Clip 0:42
    Payback

    Photos203

    Payback (1999)
    Mel Gibson in Payback (1999)
    Lucy Liu in Payback (1999)
    Mel Gibson in Payback (1999)
    Deborah Kara Unger in Payback (1999)
    Mel Gibson, Gregg Henry, and Lucy Liu in Payback (1999)
    Mel Gibson and Maria Bello in Payback (1999)
    Maria Bello in Payback (1999)
    Kris Kristofferson in Payback (1999)
    Mel Gibson in Payback (1999)
    Gregg Henry in Payback (1999)
    Mel Gibson in Payback (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mel Gibson
    Mel Gibson
    • Porter
    Gregg Henry
    Gregg Henry
    • Val Resnick
    Maria Bello
    Maria Bello
    • Rosie
    David Paymer
    David Paymer
    • Arthur Stegman
    Bill Duke
    Bill Duke
    • Det. Hicks
    Deborah Kara Unger
    Deborah Kara Unger
    • Mrs. Lynn Porter
    John Glover
    John Glover
    • Phil
    William Devane
    William Devane
    • Carter
    Lucy Liu
    Lucy Liu
    • Pearl
    • (as Lucy Alexis Liu)
    Jack Conley
    Jack Conley
    • Det. Leary
    Kris Kristofferson
    Kris Kristofferson
    • Bronson
    Mark Alfa
    • Johnny's Friend #2
    Kwame Amoaku
    Kwame Amoaku
    • Radioman
    Justin Ashforth
    Justin Ashforth
    • Michael, Bartender #1
    Len Bajenski
    • Fairfax Bodyguard #1
    Kate Buddeke
    • Counter Girl
    Price Carson
    Price Carson
    • Bronson's Heavy #1
    Roddy Chiong
    • Chow's Thug #2
    • Director
      • Brian Helgeland
    • Writers
      • Donald E. Westlake(novel "The Hunter")
      • Brian Helgeland(screenplay)
      • Terry Hayes(screenplay) (theatrical cut)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      For release in Australia, the U.S. tagline "Get ready to root for the bad guy" was changed to "Get ready to cheer for the bad guy" because, as Mel Gibson himself pointed out, in Australia "to root" is slang for "to have sexual intercourse".
    • Goofs
      When Porter is hit by Pearl and her group of thugs' car, he shatters the windshield upon impact. Several frames later the windshield is completely intact.
    • Quotes

      Pearl: [seductively] I've got a few minutes.

      Porter: So go boil an egg.

    • Crazy credits
      In the international prints, the 75th anniversary wordings in the Warner Bros. logo is removed. Meanwhile, the new fanfare did not appeared until the release of Message in a Bottle (1999) on February 12, 1999.
    • Alternate versions
      The UK cinema version and all subsequent video and DVD releases were cut by 5 seconds to remove the use of a butterfly knife. The Blu-ray reinstates the previously cut footage.
    • Connections
      Edited into Payback: Straight Up (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Anniversary Song
      Music by Iosif Ivanovici

      Arranged by Saul Chaplin

      Lyrics by Al Jolson and Saul Chaplin

      Performed by Chris Boardman

    User reviews437

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Wow, This Is A Rough, Tough Movie!
    A modern-day film noir, this is about as tough as it gets. Rough characters, rough violence and rough language all comprise this re-make of the 1967 film "Point Blank," which starred Lee Marvin.

    Mel Gibson is the "good guy" here, taking Marvin's role, but I put that in quotes because he's not really "good," just a thief attempting to get his $70,000 back which was stolen from him by his partner and ex-wife in a former heist. He goes up the ladder, little guy to the top boss, to finally get his money.

    Gibson gets beaten up several times and even gets tortured in one toes- crunching scene. The women are tough-looking, coarse and unappealing. I did like the metallic-blue hues in here, making this an interesting visual film. However, the city scenes are bleak, a la Batman.

    Despite the above, I still found the movie good enough to watch several times. Most people like a simple, revenge story which this really is, and there is dark humor in here, too. The other characters are interesting, particularly the one played by William Devane. I also liked the narration by Gibson, done in 1940s film noir style. The worst person in here was the sadistic "Val Resnick" (Gregg Henry). He was so bad, he was cartoon-ish, someone so bad he belonged in one of those Batman or Hellboy or Spiderman flicks.
    helpful•42
    15
    • ccthemovieman-1
    • Nov 8, 2006

    FAQ4

    • What is the difference between the director's cut and the original cut?
    • What are the differences between the Theatrical Version and the Director's Cut?
    • Is the old British BBFC 18 version uncensored?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 5, 1999 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Paramount Pictures (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Porter
    • Filming locations
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Production companies
      • Icon Entertainment International
      • Icon Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $90,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $81,526,121
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $21,221,526
      • Feb 7, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $161,626,121
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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