Eye for an Eye

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Eye for an Eye

R

Released Jan 12, 1996

1h 37m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

7%

Tomatometer

41 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Harried working mom Karen McCann (Sally Field) is stuck in traffic, talking on the phone to her teenage daughter at home, when she hears an intruder break into the house and murder her child. Although the killer (Kiefer Sutherland) is arrested, a legal technicality leads to his release. Despite the best efforts of her patient husband (Ed Harris), a sympathetic police detective (Joe Mantegna) and a victims'-rights counselor (Charlayne Woodard), Karen becomes obsessed with taking revenge.

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Critics Consensus

Overwrought, thinly written, and all-around unpleasant, Eye for an Eye crudely exploits every parent's nightmare with deeply offensive results.

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Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Any pretence of thoughtful debate has long since been abandoned.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 4, 2009

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

[A] really awful, hysterical thriller.

Aug 4, 2009

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Alistair Lawrence

Common Sense Media

This bizarre and empty-headed revenge fantasy was a critical bomb and commercial flop on its release in 1996 and the following decades have not done it any favors.

Mar 19, 2025

Full Review

Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Crass, manipulative, and deeply insincere, it is a marvel that it received a theatrical release at all. It is entirely impossible to recommend.

Rated: 2/10

Nov 28, 2022

Full Review

Mal Vincent

The Virginian-Pilot

John Schlesinger is one of the finest directors of our movie past. It is sad that this is all he apparently can find to direct.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 2, 2022

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Marilena L

This movie was great! Upsetting plot that leaves the viewer with feelings of sadness, anger and doom. The acting was great. Sally Field and K. Sutherland were excellent in their roles. I highly recommend.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/22/25

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Farah R

The low ratings and negative reviews are baffling because Eye For An Eye is a gripping thriller. Sally Field’s acting is brilliant, and the film builds to a great, albeit predictable, climax.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/14/25

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Ririn 2

Bagus film nya, rekomended

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/24/25

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MTS QA C

Eye for eye... hmm...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

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perdiana -

With its thrilling action sequences and emotional story, Eye for an Eye is a must-watch for action film lovers

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

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Audience Member

good and exciting movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

Full Review

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John Schlesinger

Director

Sally Field

Karen McCann

Kiefer Sutherland

Robert Doob

Ed Harris

Mack McCann

Beverly D'Angelo

Dolly Green

Joe Mantegna

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Synopsis

Harried working mom Karen McCann (Sally Field) is stuck in traffic, talking on the phone to her teenage daughter at home, when she hears an intruder break into the house and murder her child. Although the killer (Kiefer Sutherland) is arrested, a legal technicality leads to his release. Despite the best efforts of her patient husband (Ed Harris), a sympathetic police detective (Joe Mantegna) and a victims'-rights counselor (Charlayne Woodard), Karen becomes obsessed with taking revenge.

Director: John Schlesinger
Producer: Michael I. Levy
Screenwriter: Erika Holzer, Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Pictures International
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 12, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.7M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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