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IMDbPro

The Alphabet Killer

  • 20082008
  • RR
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
8.5K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
17,472
1,595
Eliza Dushku in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
Police officer Megan Paige (Dushku) sees her life begin to unravel as she investiagtes a series of brutal killings.
Play trailer1:43
1 Video
26 Photos
CrimeMysteryThriller
Based on the true story of the double initial killings in Rochester, NY.Based on the true story of the double initial killings in Rochester, NY.Based on the true story of the double initial killings in Rochester, NY.
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
8.5K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
17,472
1,595
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Rob Schmidt
    • Writer
      • Tom Malloy
    • Stars
      • Eliza Dushku
      • Cary Elwes
      • Timothy Hutton
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Rob Schmidt
    • Writer
      • Tom Malloy
    • Stars
      • Eliza Dushku
      • Cary Elwes
      • Timothy Hutton
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 51User reviews
    • 36Critic reviews
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    The Alphabet Killer: Trailer
    Trailer 1:43
    The Alphabet Killer: Trailer

    Photos26

    Timothy Hutton in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Cary Elwes in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Michael Ironside in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Bill Moseley in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Tom Noonan in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Larry Hankin in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Eliza Dushku in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Eliza Dushku in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Eliza Dushku in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Eliza Dushku in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Eliza Dushku in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
    Cary Elwes and Eliza Dushku in The Alphabet Killer (2008)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Eliza Dushku
    Eliza Dushku
    • Megan Paige
    Cary Elwes
    Cary Elwes
    • Kenneth Shine
    Timothy Hutton
    Timothy Hutton
    • Richard Ledge
    Tom Malloy
    Tom Malloy
    • Officer Steven Harper
    Michael Ironside
    Michael Ironside
    • Capt. Nathan Norcross
    Bill Moseley
    Bill Moseley
    • Carl Tanner
    Carl Lumbly
    Carl Lumbly
    • Dr. Ellis Parks
    Brian Scannell
    Brian Scannell
    • Jay Castillo
    Larry Hankin
    Larry Hankin
    • Perry
    Jack McGee
    Jack McGee
    • Hank
    Melissa Leo
    Melissa Leo
    • Kathy Walsh
    Andrew Fiscella
    Andrew Fiscella
    • Len Schafer
    Rocco Sisto
    Rocco Sisto
    • Father McQuarrie
    Tom Noonan
    Tom Noonan
    • Ray Gullikson
    Frank Rossi
    Frank Rossi
    • Francis Baker
    Meltem Cumbul
    Meltem Cumbul
    • Elisa Castillo
    Kristina Jewell
    Kristina Jewell
    • Wendy Walsh
    Sarah Anderson
    Sarah Anderson
    • Elizabeth Eckers
    • Director
      • Rob Schmidt
    • Writer
      • Tom Malloy
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Based on the true story of the double initial killings in Rochester, NY.
    • Goofs
      As she begins to research the crimes, Megan sets up an office in her attic; there is a scene showing her sticking Post-It notes to a brick wall or chimney. Post-It notes were not commercially available until 1977, and that was in just 4 test markets nationally. They were debuted in US stores as Post-It notes in 1980.
    • Quotes

      Megan Paige: Why didn't you tell me you knew the victims?

      Richard Ledge: Because then you would have known that I killed them.

    • Connections
      Referenced in The Cinema Snob: Sunday School Musical (2019)
    • Soundtracks
      Skeleton (She's So Cool)
      Written by Nils Alpha / Jukka Sebatian

      Performed by Alpha Kids

    User reviews51

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Standard serial killer fare
    The Alphabet Killer is based very, very loosely on a real story. But screenwriter Tom Malloy pretty much made this story entirely his own. The basic facts of the case are that there once was a killer whose victims were young girls whose first and last names started with the same letter. And that killer dumped the bodies in towns with names beginning with that same letter. For example this film's first victim is Carla Castillo, found in Churchville. Where does this movie want to go from there? Well, it turns out not to really be about the killer but about the young detective investigating the crime, Megan Paige. Eliza Dushku plays the role and the movie was always going to sink or swim on her performance. Dushku just about manages to keep the film afloat.

    The film veers toward the supernatural and/or psychological as Megan Paige begins to be haunted by visions. Is she really seeing things or just losing her mind? She ends up having a nervous breakdown and losing her position as a detective, demoted to a desk job. But when the bodies of more young girls turn up, following the alphabet pattern Megan had obsessed on, she's back on the case. Her new partner, played by screenwriter Malloy himself, is understandably wary. Eventually the two bond and make some progress in the case. But the killer remains elusive and Megan will not let the case go. Her frustrations manifest themselves in more of these visions or hallucinations or whatever they are. Megan is losing it again and it's a race against time to solve the case before she goes completely crazy. And of course before the killer strikes again.

    All in all it is pretty familiar serial killer stuff like we've seen in so many other films. The focus on an investigator who happens to be losing her mind is a bit of a different angle. But ultimately things play out pretty much as you would expect from the genre. Dushku performs a challenging role reasonably well. The supporting cast, including some familiar faces such as Cary Elwes and Timothy Hutton, is fine as well. But the film never threatens to make the leap from being decent to being really good. The story starts with promise but once it settles into its rhythm there is the sense that initial promise is not being paid off. The story kind of lags, things are a little mundane. They try to spice things up a bit by throwing in those haunting, sometimes scary visions of Megan's. But that gets a little repetitive and loses its impact. You know the film is going to go for a big reveal at the end but when it does the effort falls somewhat flat. The ending is actually rather predictable, not nearly as thrilling as it needs to be for the film to really excite you. Ultimately The Alphabet Killer is a decent little movie but that is about the best that can be said. Not a terrible way to spend 100 minutes but far from spectacular.
    helpful•4
    2
    • hall895
    • Oct 17, 2013

    FAQ5

    • What is 'The Alphabet Killer' about?
    • Is 'The Alphabet Killer' based on a book?
    • What happened in the real Alphabet murders?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 10, 2009 (Kuwait)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Alfabe Katili
    • Filming locations
      • Rochester, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Intrinsic Value Films
      • New Films International
      • WideyeCreative Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $29,784
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $11,000
      • Nov 9, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $106,596
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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