Captive

PG-13

Released Sep 18, 2015

1 hr. 37 min.

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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List

27%

51 Reviews

Tomatometer

43%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Brian Nichols (David Oyelowo) becomes the subject of a citywide manhunt after breaking out of a courthouse jail and killing four people. His frantic escape brings him to the apartment of Ashley Smith (Kate Mara), a single mother and recovering methamphetamine addict. Held hostage by Nichols in her own home, the scared woman looks for guidance from "The Purpose Driven Life," Rick Warren's best-selling, inspirational book. As she reads aloud, Ashley and her would-be killer come to a crossroad.

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Critics Consensus

Captive undermines committed performances from Kate Mara and David Oyelowo -- and the real-life story they're dramatizing -- with a thin script doubling as an ad for a self-help book.

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Steve D

Too obsessed with moralizing to take advantage of its strong leads.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

10/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This was great movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

At first, had a difficult time staying with the story-line. Had to remind myself that is a "True Life Occurrence"...I have not read the book, so I don't know how close it was played. With the time limitation of film, I feel that the characters were developed as best as they could. This is a hard core, in your face, look at addictions & mental illnesses; that is presented at a level many families may be comfortable allowing their children to watch. Not knowing the ultimate outcome I have admit I choked-up and shouted AMEN when Ashley said, "No!" It was a hard movie to watch, as it should be. I do recommend it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Movies made from true life stories often are nothing more than dramatized history. Not so with Captive. This is an honest depiction of two lives traveling in different directions that collide into one night of unexpected transformation. Captive is not dramatized history, itâ(TM)s a well-executed character study that makes no overt conclusions. The story is developed in such a way that the audience is allowed to see inside both of the main characters and make their own analysis of how and why they are the way they are. Brian Nichols is on his way to court accused of rape. He believes he is being accused of a crime he didnâ(TM)t commit and has no more patience for what he views is an oppressed life. In an explosion of rage, he takes advantage of a trusting jailer, beats her to the ground and grabs her gun; he then murders three people before escaping in a hijacked car. Brian eventually makes his way to an apartment complex late at night and encounters Ashley Smith, a recovering meth addict. Brian follows Ashley back to her apartment where he takes her hostage for the next seven hours. During this time, Ashley, who desperately wants to end her drug addiction to regain custody of her young daughter, begins reading Rick Warrenâ(TM)s book, âThe Purpose Driven Life,â? more as a nervous impulse than anything else. When Brian notices she is reading, he demands she read out loud to him. God has not been a driving force in either of these lives, but now he is present and working inside both. Captive is structured more as an experience than it is a movie. The script, the camera work, the direction, the acting all work together to place the audience directly in the apartment with Brian and Ashley. How did Ashley let drugs get in between her and the deep love she has for her daughter? How did Brian allow his life to tumble into total darkness? What role will God play as Rick Warren preaches from the pages of his book? This is a fascinating story beautifully developed into a mesmerizing film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Captive is pretty much a by the book kidnapping thriller. The performances are OK but the movie builds up with absolutely no pay off. There's never any fear for the characters and as a result the movie feels like something made for TV. It's not a horrible movie but pretty forgettable.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/31/17

Full Review

Audience Member

Captive is pretty much a by the book kidnapping thriller. The performances are OK but the movie builds up with absolutely no pay off. There's never any fear for the characters and as a result the movie feels like something made for TV. It's not a horrible movie but pretty forgettable.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/31/17

Full Review

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Jerry Jameson

Director

David Oyelowo

Brian Nichols

Kate Mara

Ashley Smith

Michael Kenneth Williams

Detective John Chestnut

Leonor Varela

Detective Sanchez

Mimi Rogers

Kim Rogers

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Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

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Captive: Trailer 1

2:24

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

Captive is TV veteran Jerry Jameson's first theatrical feature since Airport '77. That's by far the most interesting thing about it.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 2, 2016

Full Review

Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

Committed performances from the two leads provide ballast, although the inevitable Oprah coda feels a little too much like a sales pitch.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 27, 2015

Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

There is a moral somewhere in Captive but it is hard to work out what it is.

Sep 25, 2015

Full Review

James Clay

Fresh Fiction

CAPTIVE won't dazzle you in the way the masters of mystery will, but the uncannily consistent work from Oyelowo and its positive outlook will indeed keep you captivated.

Rated: B-

Dec 14, 2018

Full Review

Alison Rowat

The Herald (Scotland)

An odd, and not in a good way, preachy piece.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 23, 2018

Full Review

Mae Abdulbaki

Punch Drunk Critics

The film is underwhelming but does carry strong performances.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 14, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

Brian Nichols (David Oyelowo) becomes the subject of a citywide manhunt after breaking out of a courthouse jail and killing four people. His frantic escape brings him to the apartment of Ashley Smith (Kate Mara), a single mother and recovering methamphetamine addict. Held hostage by Nichols in her own home, the scared woman looks for guidance from "The Purpose Driven Life," Rick Warren's best-selling, inspirational book. As she reads aloud, Ashley and her would-be killer come to a crossroad.

Director: Jerry Jameson
Executive Producer: Santiago Garcia Galvan, Jonathan Gray, Brian Bird, Elliott Lester, Ralph Winter
Screenwriter: Brian Bird
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Yoruba Saxon, BN Films, 1019 Entertainment, Brightside Entertainment, Itaca Films
Rating: PG-13 (Substance Abuse|Mature Thematic Elements|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 18, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 20, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.6M
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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