Panic Room (2002)

A divorced woman and her diabetic daughter take refuge in their newly-purchased house's safe room, when three men break-in, searching for a missing fortune.

Director:

David Fincher

Writer:

David Koepp

Stars:

Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Forest Whitaker

1 win & 9 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jodie Foster	...	Meg Altman
Kristen Stewart	...	Sarah Altman
Forest Whitaker	...	Burnham
Dwight Yoakam	...	Raoul
Jared Leto	...	Junior
Patrick Bauchau	...	Stephen Altman
Ann Magnuson	...	Lydia Lynch
Ian Buchanan	...	Evan Kurlander
Andrew Kevin Walker	...	Sleepy Neighbor
Paul Schulze	...	Officer Keeney
Mel Rodriguez	...	Officer Morales
Richard Conant	...	SWAT Cop
Paul Simon	...	SWAT Cop
Victor Thrash	...	SWAT Cop
Ken Turner	...	SWAT Cop

Storyline

Recently divorced Meg Altman and her daughter Sarah have bought a new home in New York. On their tour around the mansion, they come across the panic room. A room so secure, that no one can get in. When three burglars break in, Meg makes a move to the panic room. But all her troubles don't stop there. The criminals know where she is, and what they require the most in the house is in that very room.

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Plot Keywords:

panic | panic room | diabetic | safe room | cat and mouse | 

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Taglines:

What do you do when your hiding place is their destination?

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Safe Room

Filming Locations:

Raleigh Manhattan Beach Studios - 1600 Rosecrans Avenue, Manhattan Beach, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$48,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$30,056,751, 31 March 2002, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$96,397,334

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$196,397,415

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation,Hofflund/Polone,Indelible Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Though quite thrilling and suspenseful, only 7 shots are fired from a gun throughout the entirety of the film, all from Raoul's Walther PPK.

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Goofs

Junior says that Meg had closed escrow. New York does not have an escrow system. Closing on a house is done with attorneys, with a set closing date.

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Quotes

Junior: [after swallowing a bunch of pills] All she's got is Nyquill and fucking Midol!

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits are amazingly realistic in that they cast shadows and are reflected on the surrounding glass buildings.

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Alternate Versions

The film's VHS & HDTV release presented the film open-matte, at an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, meaning there was more picture information visible in the top and bottom of the frame than on DVD.

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Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #19.146 (2011)

User Reviews

A one-trick plot, but amazing camera, intense acting, and tightly made.

Panic Room (2002)

There are three reasons to see Panic Room. 1) The titles: understated, gorgeous, uncanny letters floating in the Manhattan cityscape. 2) The photography: camera moving like an animal, slipping between tiny spaces, swinging across rooms and through floors, inhabiting the screen like another character. 3) Forest Whitaker, again (he's so good so often it's hard to not expect a great performance).

The rest of the film is very good, directed with style and intelligence as usual by David Fincher (who did Seven and Fight Club). The plot is good, but maybe a little conventional overall, and if the details aren't completely predictable, the general flow of events is. The whole cast is quite good--Foster in a familiar embattled, determined role, and Jared Leto is an appropriately crazed, if slightly caricatured, bad guy who just wants money. Don't we all.

I saw this when it came out and was dazzled and yet disappointed by the plot. The second time, knowing the events, I was able to just watch how they unfolded, and it was much better. Expect suspense, intensity, and beautiful camera-work.