Surveillance

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Surveillance

R

2009

1h 37m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

55%

Tomatometer

74 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

After a spree of horrific murders in the New Mexico desert, two FBI agents arrive at a small Santa Fe police station to interview the key witnesses. Using elaborate surveillance equipment to view the interrogations simultaneously, Sam Hallaway watches as his partner cross-examines the three survivors. As several inconsistencies emerge, it becomes clear that somebody in the room knows the truth behind the slayings.

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Critics Consensus

This dark psycho-thriller from Jennifer Lynch, is violent, sharp and baffling, but not to everyone's taste.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

09/12/2017

B+

It's a great whodunit.

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Jason Anderson

Toronto Star

07/24/2009

2/4

Pullman's striking performance here is undermined by Lynch's overreliance on those same grisly shock tactics, as well as a script that fails to capitalize on a promising premise and then swiftly collapses upon the revelation of a not-so-shocking twist.

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James Adams

Globe and Mail

07/24/2009

1/4

The film's a failure.

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Joe Lipsett

Anatomy of a Scream Podcast Network

Nov 11

4/5

Lynch's 2nd film is a twisty crime thriller filled with unconventional casting decisions, bold colour-coded cinematography, and brief (but visceral) outbursts of violence. A great indicator of what Lynch is capable of when her vision isn't compromised

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

11/15/2019

Taut, edgy, titillating, thrilling. Surveillance is a masterful examination into the dark side of the human condition.

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David Harris

Spectrum Culture

10/09/2019

1.5/5

Surveillance will create almost no ripples whatsoever as it slithers in and out of theaters to find a second life on late-night cable.

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Carol R

@RT59771237 5d

One of the sickest most disturbing movies I've ever watched. Don't waste your time!

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Jeffrey P

@vanillavoodoo1 08/26/2024

One of the darker films dealing with the subject of corrupt police that one will see. From top to bottom, all the way through the end, a top notch degenerate tale.

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08/10/2022

I regret giving some bad critics to some low budget movies when i watched this movie.... what a bad plot, i mean it looks like the director was in a resstaurent had some drinks and the said lets do a movid where 2 FBI agents will be the killers... of course his friends laughed and said yeaaaah great idea... the next day the went filming .... it s bad, the characters are paper i was worried about them i hope they had good career after this bad bad ... really bad movie

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12/18/2021

Felt this was a reasonable watch. It has a promising premise, starts well, interesting format, very well shot (IMHO), and then speeds up towards the end following a big revelation. Could be better but, enjoyable nevertheless.

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nilufer e

@Nilicim 04/10/2021

I quite enjoyed it and I believe it was under-rated. The acting was good and I loved the twists. It was thrilling and exciting even though it was a low budget flick.

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03/06/2021

Obviously Lynchesque, This modern film noir plays upon the stereotipical fears that permeates consistently throughout the history of hollywood storytelling - authority and untamed depravity. Despite the text book thrills there is enough here to push the genre forward. Strong, diverse female characters, dealing with a mysoginistic society are a welcome addition and then of course there is the western obsession with the ultimate, alternative American Dream - Bonnie and Clyde.

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Synopsis

After a spree of horrific murders in the New Mexico desert, two FBI agents arrive at a small Santa Fe police station to interview the key witnesses. Using elaborate surveillance equipment to view the interrogations simultaneously, Sam Hallaway watches as his partner cross-examines the three survivors. As several inconsistencies emerge, it becomes clear that somebody in the room knows the truth behind the slayings.

Director: Jennifer Chambers Lynch
Producer: Kent Harper, David Michaels, Marco Mehlitz
Screenwriter: Jennifer Chambers Lynch, Kent Harper
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Film Star Pictures, Blue Rider Pictures, See Film, Lago Film, Stephen Onda Productions
Rating: R (Scene of Aberrant Sexuality|Pervasive Language|Some Drug Use|Strong Bloody Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 26, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 18, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.4K
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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