Disturbing Behavior

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Disturbing Behavior

R

1998

1h 23m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

36%

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39 Reviews

40%

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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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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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SkyRo P

"Disturbing Behavior" is a film featuring James Marsden and Katie Holmes that emerged in the 90s, during a peak time in their acting careers—especially for Holmes, as Marsden continues to be relevant today. The film wasn’t awful, nor was it a masterpiece; it leaned heavily into the bizarre and was written in an exaggerated manner. However, the director managed to navigate these quirks to give it a touch of relevance. The plot, which revolves around brainwashing and the idea of transforming local youth into the so-called "golden kids," often felt disjointed. There was little mystery surrounding the unfolding events. The narrative presented moments where the police seemed to ignore obvious signs of trouble, allowing the kids to walk away after their dramatic outbursts—outbursts that were the result of their conditioning. In the end, "Disturbing Behavior" was a decent watch, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression that would make it memorable. I found myself recalling that I had seen it before, likely driven by my admiration for Katie Holmes in the 90s. Yet, it feels like the film could easily slip from my memory again, as it isn’t particularly unforgettable.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

05/16/25

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Stoner J

Great mind control horror thriller. Way underrated, I have always liked this movie

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/27/25

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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

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David Nutter

Director

James Marsden

Steve Clark

Katie Holmes

Rachel Wagner

Nick Stahl

Gavin Strick

Steve Railsback

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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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