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The Deep End of the Ocean

Play trailer Poster for The Deep End of the Ocean PG-13 Released Mar 12, 1999 1h 45m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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42% Tomatometer 36 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
After Beth Cappadora's (Michelle Pfeiffer) youngest son, Ben, vanishes in Chicago, she slowly descends into a deep depression, affecting her husband, Pat (Treat Williams), and her other children (Jonathan Jackson, Alexa Vega). Relocating to Chicago several years later, they are shocked to discover a local boy named Sam (Ryan Merriman) who looks strikingly similar to Ben. Along with detective Candy Bliss (Whoopi Goldberg), the family must relive their trauma and find out the truth about Sam.
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The Deep End of the Ocean

Critics Reviews

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Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly Rated: B- Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Emanuel Levy Variety Well-acted but pedestrian TV-like melodrama what what consitutes a family, or sociology versus biology in the kinship debate. Rated: 3/5 Jun 20, 2006 Full Review Globe and Mail Rated: 2/4 Mar 22, 2002 Full Review Barbara Shulgasser Common Sense Media The script is as oblivious as the biological parents, almost completely ignoring the trauma of the father who raised the boy in good faith from 3 to 12. May 23, 2023 Full Review CSM Staff Christian Science Monitor The subject is poignant and suspenseful, but the treatment is drab and uninvolving despite competent acting and a few well-crafted scenes. Rated: 2/4 Mar 21, 2019 Full Review Jim Lane Sacramento News & Review Rated: 3/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Tina B Almost all the adults sucks, they never really thought about the kids. Mostly the characters are unlikable. But the the female detective is unbearable, "we'll find your son" 9years later "oh it's my fault, I should've done this very basic detective work but please comfort me bec I failed". I wish they focused on the other aspect of the story. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/24 Full Review Laura S Intriguing premise. An abducted son is raised by a stranger and he doesn't want to return to his birth parents. The film focuses on estranged brothers rather what was, at least to me, more interesting - the dynamic between the biological parent and the "foster" parent. Great start, depicting the despair of the birth parent but the rest of the movie felt shallow. Like it was afraid to tackle the parenting issues so it settled on the brother dynamics (even though it has a reason for it). Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/03/24 Full Review Test T I found this movie dull, slow and depressing. It's well made, and the acting is good, but why would anyone want to watch it? I got bored after the child's disappearance, and then it felt like I was being emotionally tortured for the rest of the film. The background music is so sad, it just makes the whole experience worse. I did make it to the end for my review, but I really struggled, and almost switched off several times. It's definitely not my idea of entertainment and I do not recommend it. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 12/09/23 Full Review Farah R For its brilliant performances and resonant story, The Deep End of the Ocean is too dramatic even for a sad drama. Nevertheless, it remains a film worth watching. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/16/23 Full Review Mon B I always liked this movie as a comfort Michelle Pfeiffer movie. She is one actress that can carry a movie and then some. Johnathan Jackson too-they should have given him more to do, because he's got this amazing subtlety from playing General Hospital all his life. It's like someone dropped the ball in this movie but it's hard to say-script? Editing? Still, worth watching at least once, if you are a fan of Michelle or Johnathan Jackson-who should have been a big star. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/10/23 Full Review Danika S A very sad story but a must see movie. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/11/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Deep End of the Ocean

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The Deep End of the Ocean

A scene from the Columbia Pictures film "The Deep End of the Ocean." A scene from the Columbia Pictures film "The Deep End of the Ocean." A scene from the Columbia Pictures film "The Deep End of the Ocean." A scene from the Columbia Pictures film "The Deep End of the Ocean." A scene from the Columbia Pictures film "The Deep End of the Ocean." A scene from the Columbia Pictures film "The Deep End of the Ocean." A scene from the Columbia Pictures film "The Deep End of the Ocean." A scene from the Columbia Pictures film "The Deep End of the Ocean." A scene from the Columbia Pictures film "The Deep End of the Ocean." A scene from the Columbia Pictures film "The Deep End of the Ocean." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After Beth Cappadora's (Michelle Pfeiffer) youngest son, Ben, vanishes in Chicago, she slowly descends into a deep depression, affecting her husband, Pat (Treat Williams), and her other children (Jonathan Jackson, Alexa Vega). Relocating to Chicago several years later, they are shocked to discover a local boy named Sam (Ryan Merriman) who looks strikingly similar to Ben. Along with detective Candy Bliss (Whoopi Goldberg), the family must relive their trauma and find out the truth about Sam.
Director
Ulu Grosbard
Producer
Kate Guinzberg, Kate Guinzburg
Screenwriter
Jacquelyn Mitchard, Stephen Schiff
Distributor
Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co
Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 12, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$13.4M
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Surround, SDDS, Dolby Digital
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