Eye for an Eye

R

Released Jan 12, 1996

1h 37m

Drama

List

8%

Tomatometer

40 Reviews

55%

Audience Score

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

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

[A] really awful, hysterical thriller.

Aug 4, 2009

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

Full Review

Brian D. Johnson

Maclean's Magazine

If Eye for an Eye were just another dumb thriller about killing a bad guy, it would not be so irritating. But by raising the moral issue, it is more like a dumb TV movie proposing a vigilantelite brand of violent retribution.

Oct 21, 2019

Full Review

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Sea S

I thought the story line, the plot was exceptional! I'm truly surprised by the low ratings on this film and the lack of praise as the acting in this was top notch and I really thought they would've received rewards for their roles as well as the directors and producers. It was a hard film to watch due to the violent acts towards women but it will be forever seared in my mind (unforgettable). There def was a shock factor involved and tells a story which I'm sure that many human beings have lived whether they are the ones being brutalized or they are the families. Our justice system has failed in many attempts to vindicate justice for victims. I also love me a vigilante movies. This movie was highly underrated and between you and me the movies that are ranked the highest by critics are usually the movies I avoid seeing bc 99.9% of the time they are awful. 😝

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/11/23

Full Review

Steve D

Emotionally manipulative and thinly written.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Hana S

It's so long and slow. The script is so bad. The story line is so bad.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/09/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Superior Performances by an Excellent Cast! Unique take on the revenge plot--

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

jelisije j

How does this movie has such a low rating? This movie has a simple premise about a mother avenging the rape and murder of her daughter. This is not a movie I'm going to be rewatching (since its so depressing) over and over again, but I don't see the reason to say this movie was bad. Its a solid watch for the most part and you cant go wrong with Sally Field.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

First time viewer really liked it. Felt like a big budget episode of Law and Order Special Victims Unit. Highlights for me include: Good main actress Dark and gritty 90s vibe decent enough story that had me wanting to see the end.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

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

Det. Sgt. Denillo

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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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