Instinct (1999)

When noted anthropologist Dr. Ethan Powell, who left society to live in the jungle is imprisoned for murder, it's up to young psychiatrist Theo Caulder to get through to him.

Director:

Jon Turteltaub

Writers:

Gerald Di Pego (screenplay) (as Gerald DiPego), Gerald Di Pego (screen story) (as Gerald DiPego)

Stars:

Anthony Hopkins, Cuba Gooding Jr., Donald Sutherland

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Hopkins	...	Ethan Powell
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Theo Caulder
Donald Sutherland	...	Ben Hillard
Maura Tierney	...	Lynn Powell
George Dzundza	...	Dr. John Murray
John Ashton	...	Guard Dacks
John Aylward	...	Warden Keefer
Thomas Q. Morris	...	Pete
Doug Spinuzza	...	Nicko
Paul Bates	...	Bluto
Rex Linn	...	Guard Alan
Rod McLachlan	...	Guard Anderson
Kurt Smildsin	...	Guard #1
Jim R. Coleman	...	Guard #2
Tracey Ellis	...	Annie

Storyline

Nearly two years after having gone amiss in Africa, renowned anthropologist Dr. Ethan Powell (Sir Anthony Hopkins) is caught committing a crime and subsequently imprisoned in a Florida mental institution, where aspiring psychiatrist Dr. Theo Caulder (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) takes over his important case. Dr. Powell, who has been with a group of gorillas during all that time, is not talking at all, and seems to be living in a dreamworld. Very slowly, Dr. Caulder manages to reach Ethan and starts finding out why he killed two of the poachers. Yet, Theo's case is not just about why the murders have happened, but also about how Dr. Powell became the being he is in the first place. With Ethan's silence broken, Theo is introduced into a world beyond common human comprehension: The true nature of being. He learns that mankind's control of everything is a mere illusion and that the true values of existence can't be found so easily. Ethan changes Theo's view of things forever.

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Plot Keywords:

anthropologist | psychiatrist | murder | africa | poacher | 

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Taglines:

One man's mind is another man's mystery.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some intense violent behavior

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sir Sean Connery was originally offered the role of Dr. Ethan Powell.

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Goofs

When Theo goes to visit Lynn at her home it is late at night, yet once inside the house, daylight is coming through the windows.

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Quotes

Lynn Powell: [to Dr. Calder] You know, it's all right if you need to hold onto somebody for a minute.
[seeing he's not ready to]
Lynn Powell: It's all right if you don't.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Instinct/The Loss of Sexual Innocence/Limbo (1999)

User Reviews

This movie is simply great!

I sincerely believe this movie has been under-rated. Instinct is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It invites people to meditate about the meaning of freedom and it forces them to travel inside their mind.

Anthony Hopkins is an extraordinary actor and the whole cast is superb. This movie is a gem, it's simply great!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 June 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ishmael

Filming Locations:

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

Box Office

Budget:

$80,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,390,387, 6 June 1999

Gross USA:

$34,105,207

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$34,105,207

Company Credits

Production Co:

Spyglass Entertainment, Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1