Knowing (2009)

M.I.T. professor John Koestler links a mysterious list of numbers from a time capsule to past and future disasters and sets out to prevent the ultimate catastrophe.

Director:

Alex Proyas

Writers:

Ryne Douglas Pearson (screenplay), Juliet Snowden (screenplay)

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Chandler Canterbury, Rose Byrne

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicolas Cage	...	John Koestler
Chandler Canterbury	...	Caleb Koestler
Rose Byrne	...	Diana
Lara Robinson	...	Abby / Lucinda
D.G. Maloney	...	The Stranger
Nadia Townsend	...	Grace
Alan Hopgood	...	Reverend Koestler
Adrienne Pickering	...	Allison
Joshua Long	...	Younger Caleb
Danielle Carter	...	Miss Taylor (1959)
Alethea McGrath	...	Miss Taylor (2009)
David Lennie	...	Principal Clark (1959)
Tamara Donnellan	...	Lucinda's Mother
Travis Waite	...	Lucinda's Father
Ben Mendelsohn	...	Phil Beckman

Storyline

In the fall of 1959, for a time capsule, students draw pictures of life as they imagine it will be in 50 years. Lucinda, an odd child who hears voices, swiftly writes a long string of numbers. In 2009, the capsule is opened; student Caleb Koestler gets Lucinda's "drawing" and his father John, an astrophysicist and grieving widower, takes a look. He discovers dates of disasters over the past 50 years with the number who died. Three dates remain, all coming soon. He investigates, learns of Lucinda, and looks for her family. He fears for his son, who's started to hear voices and who is visited by a silent stranger who shows him a vision of fire and destruction. What's going on?

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Plot Keywords:

end of the world | number | disaster | time capsule | code | 

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Taglines:

A Superbly Crafted Thriller.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for disaster sequences, disturbing images and brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Summit Entertainment [United States]

Country:

USA UK Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 March 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Know1ng

Filming Locations:

Camberwell High School, Camberwell, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,604,751, 22 March 2009, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$79,957,634

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$183,593,586

Company Credits

Production Co:

Summit Entertainment, Escape Artists, Mystery Clock Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

It took Alex Proyas three months to shoot the film, about half the time it took to shoot I, Robot (2004). He credits the use of digital technology for being able to shoot so quickly and efficiently.

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Goofs

(at around 8 mins) John shows the rings of Saturn to Caleb through his backyard telescope. Saturn was not visible in the New England evening sky in October 2009.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Miss Taylor: Everyone inside now!

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Connections

Referenced in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Observe & Report/Gigantic/Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)

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Soundtracks

The Planets: Op. 43: IV Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity
Written by Gustav Holst

User Reviews

Disappointing

This movie has brought BS to a new level. It starts in a very stunning way so that you think you're watching the best thriller ever. The visual effects is just astonishing. As the story goes on you become more and more disappointed. At the end you have this feeling that the hole plot is written by a child who's parents has told her some stories from the bible, something like stories of Adam and Eve and the Armageddon, and she mixed these stories with the stories of aliens and UFOs she heard at school... The first 2/3 of the movie is worth watching, but the rest is a huge disappointment. Honestly though, it is like giving this simple mindedly written plot to the best film making crew.