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Disturbing Behavior

Play trailer Poster for Disturbing Behavior R 1998 1h 23m Horror Mystery & Thriller Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
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36% Tomatometer 39 Reviews 40% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Steve Clark (James Marsden) is a newcomer in the town of Cradle Bay, and he quickly realizes that there's something odd about his high school classmates. The clique known as the Blue Ribbons are the eerie embodiment of academic excellence and clean living. But, like the rest of the town, they're a little too perfect. When Steve's rebellious friend Gavin (Nick Stahl) mysteriously joins their ranks, Steve searches for the truth with fellow misfit Rachel (Katie Holmes).
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Disturbing Behavior

Critics Reviews

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Paul Tatara CNN.com Lots of shots are held for upwards of a minute, too. I know that's not much, but if you're ambitious enough to gain sustenance from something other than nice belly-buttons, you take what you can get. Feb 5, 2018 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Unlike Scream 2, which kids the horror cliches, Disturbing Behavior pretends they still hold power. But the movie is light on shocks and not ever scary. Rated: 2/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Paul Lê Bloody Disgusting So while the thematic material here is executed in the most unsubtle manner, it still serves as an important lesson for every generation. Rated: 3/5 Jul 24, 2024 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Disturbing Behavior should have just been called The Stepford Students, since its very existence owes a huge debt to the Ira Levin property. Rated: 2/4 Nov 7, 2022 Full Review Dustin Putman TheFrightFile.com Far from perfect, but in its own flawed way it is perfect to me, entering my life the summer before my senior year in high school and making an impact on me that has increased, rather than lessened, in the nearly two decades since it was made. Rated: 3/4 Mar 8, 2016 Full Review Steve Newton Georgia Straight As relatively low-budget and quickly made teen shockers go, it's not too hard to take. Rated: 3/5 Feb 2, 2014 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Mateo O NOT BAD AT ALL. Underrated moody gem that was such a great 90s teen affair. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/26/25 Full Review thiago s Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas de terror são mais ou menos, a história é fraca, o elenco é mais ou menos, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom, a história do filme se parece um pouco com o filme prova final (the faculty), mas de resto, mais do mesmo. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 05/27/25 Full Review Buffy D 50 out of 10 stars! This movie was the best back in the day and it's still great now! The storyline was awesome and really made you think. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/17/25 Full Review TheMovieSearch R Disturbing Behavior is one of those late-’90s thrillers that tried to ride the wave of teen-oriented horror and sci-fi that exploded after Scream, but it never quite reached the same level of intrigue or cultural resonance. Directed by David Nutter, best known for his television work, the film stars James Marsden and Katie Holmes—both rising talents at the time—and presents a premise brimming with potential: the idea of a suburban town experimenting with mind control to create the perfect youth. Unfortunately, the execution doesn’t live up to the concept. Set in a seemingly idyllic small town, the story follows Marsden’s character, Steve, as he discovers that his classmates are being brainwashed into becoming model citizens—or, as the film dubs them, “Blue Ribbons.” On paper, it’s a fascinating social commentary about conformity, control, and the pressure to meet societal expectations. In practice, though, the movie feels rushed and underdeveloped, as if key pieces of the puzzle were left on the cutting room floor. In fact, much of the original footage was removed in post-production, which explains why some character motivations and plot points feel fragmented or incomplete. Katie Holmes shines as Rachel, the rebellious outsider with a heart of gold, bringing a spark of humanity to an otherwise sterile story. Her chemistry with Marsden is one of the few genuine elements in the film, grounding it amid the chaos of its uneven pacing and forced dialogue. Marsden himself delivers a solid performance, giving Steve a quiet depth and sincerity that helps anchor the absurdity around him. The supporting cast, including Nick Stahl as the troubled Gavin, adds some color to the narrative, though even their arcs feel abruptly cut short. Thematically, Disturbing Behavior had the opportunity to say something meaningful about teenage rebellion and the dangers of authoritarian control. Instead, it becomes trapped in its own clichés, choosing style over substance. The film borrows heavily from Stepford Wives and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but without the same level of nuance or slow-burn tension that made those stories so effective. Its attempts at horror are mild at best, relying more on eerie lighting and sound cues than genuine suspense or psychological dread. Visually, the film captures the moodiness of late-’90s genre cinema, drenched in cool blues and shadowy hallways that feel distinctly of their time. The soundtrack—filled with post-grunge and alternative rock—cements its place in that era’s teen aesthetic. However, while it’s stylistically memorable, it fails to fully compensate for the lack of narrative cohesion. One can sense that there was a smarter, darker version of Disturbing Behavior buried beneath the studio edits—a version that might have explored the deeper psychological implications of its premise. Ultimately, Disturbing Behavior lands somewhere between “watchable curiosity” and “forgettable relic.” It’s the kind of movie that you stumble upon late at night, half-remembering that you’ve seen it before. While not a complete failure, it’s also not one that sticks with you long after the credits roll. Thanks to Holmes and Marsden, it retains a faint nostalgic charm, but beyond that, it’s a reminder of an era when every studio wanted its own Scream or The Faculty—and not all experiments succeeded. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 10/21/25 Full Review Stoner J Great mind control horror thriller. Way underrated, I have always liked this movie Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/27/25 Full Review Julian S A soulless teen spin on THE STEPFORD WIVES with choppy editing and zero surprises. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Disturbing Behavior

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Movie Info

Synopsis Steve Clark (James Marsden) is a newcomer in the town of Cradle Bay, and he quickly realizes that there's something odd about his high school classmates. The clique known as the Blue Ribbons are the eerie embodiment of academic excellence and clean living. But, like the rest of the town, they're a little too perfect. When Steve's rebellious friend Gavin (Nick Stahl) mysteriously joins their ranks, Steve searches for the truth with fellow misfit Rachel (Katie Holmes).
Director
David Nutter
Producer
Armyan Bernstein, Jonathan Shestack
Screenwriter
Scott Rosenberg, C.O. Erickson
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Buena Vista Pictures, Columbia Tristar
Production Co
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Beacon Communications, Hoyts Distribution, Village Roadshow Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 24, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$17.5M
Runtime
1h 23m
Sound Mix
Surround, SDDS, Dolby Digital
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