Eye for an Eye

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Eye for an Eye

R

1996

1h 41m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

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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Empire Magazine

Aug 4, 2009

2/5

Any pretence of thoughtful debate has long since been abandoned.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Aug 4, 2009

[A] really awful, hysterical thriller.

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Rita Kempley

Washington Post

Aug 4, 2009

This blatant button-pusher plays upon our most primal emotions as well as the increasing disdain for the criminal justice system.

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Alistair Lawrence

Common Sense Media

Mar 19, 2025

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.

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Nov 28, 2022

2/10

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

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Mal Vincent

The Virginian-Pilot

Mar 2, 2022

2.5/4

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.

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Stephen G.

@Mangaloverx999x May 10, 2026

This is one of my favorite movies from my childhood. I was like 9 or 10 when I first saw this. My dad would fall asleep and I woukd flip the channels. It was such a good movie tho. At the time I didnt understand alot of it but I just remember how Sutherland played such a good villian. I love this movie.

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thiago S

@Thiagostone Apr 18, 2026

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, 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

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Garry A

@heavyg Apr 5, 2026

There is a bit of an ick factor based on one scene in particular at a playground. It's hard to watch in parts as to be expected in this type of film. But if you like revenge flicks this one isn't bad.

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Tim M

@tgmacman Sep 19, 2025

With Eye for an Eye adding nothing to the revenge story but distasteful scumminess, the world would be better off blind.

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Stoner J

@Stoner Jun 8, 2025

One of Schlesinger’s best thrillers. Awesome thriller/drama and WAY underrated. Sutherland surprisingly plays the utter scumbag to perfection. It’s a bit hard to watch, the violence is heartbreaking. Field plays a woman on a mission for revenge decently but Sutherland does way better. Thrilling movie from start to finish

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Jim T

@RT04971539 May 6, 2025

Great acting by Sally Field & Keifer.

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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: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, 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 41m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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