The Negotiator

"He frees hostages for a living. Now he's taking hostages to survive."

1998 2h 20m EN

👍

7.1

SOLID

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

7.3

IMDB

★7.1TMDB · 2,510●62Metacritic★7.3IMDB · 166,146

ActionCrimeDramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The police try to arrest expert hostage negotiator Danny Roman, who insists he's being framed for his partner's murder in what he believes is an elaborate conspiracy. Thinking there's evidence in the Internal Affairs offices that might clear him, he takes everyone in the office hostage and demands that another well-known negotiator be brought in to handle the situation and secretly investigate the conspiracy.

“He frees hostages for a living. Now he's taking hostages to survive.”

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Cast

Samuel L. Jackson
Lt. Danny Roman
Kevin Spacey
Lt. Chris Sabian
David Morse
Cdr. Adam Beck
Ron Rifkin
Cdr. Grant Frost
John Spencer
Chief Al Travis
J.T. Walsh
Insp. Terence Niebaum
Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Maggie
Paul Giamatti
Rudy

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: F. Gary Gray
Writers: James DeMonaco, Kevin Fox
Languages: English
Countries: Germany, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Mid-budget at $50M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 89% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

28 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Germany, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

207+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by F. Gary Gray, shot by Russell Carpenter. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Graeme Revell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Christian Wagner shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

F. Gary Gray directs. Russell Carpenter behind the camera. Graeme Revell scores. Christian Wagner cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Germany, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Mid-budget at $50M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
2Earned back only 89% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
328 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
4International production across 2 countries: Germany, United States of America.
5207+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
6Directed by F. Gary Gray, shot by Russell Carpenter. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Graeme Revell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Christian Wagner shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey and David Morse carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "He frees hostages for a living. Now he's taking hostages to survive.".
11IMDB entry: tt0120768 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
12Classified under 12 themes, including "chicago, illinois", "corruption", "police", "hostage".
13Released under 14 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Russell Carpenter
Original score: Graeme Revell
Editing: Christian Wagner
Production design: Holger Gross
Costume design: Francine Jamison-Tanchuck
Makeup / hair: Carol A. O'Connell
Sound: Doug Hemphill
Stunt coordinator: Joel Kramer
Runtime: 140 min · 2h 20m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $50,000,000
Box office: $44,547,681
Return: 89% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: The Negotiator (1998)
Metacritic: 62/100
IMDB rating: 7.3/10 · 166,146 votes
MPAA: R

Awards

2 wins & 6 nominations total

Also by

F. Gary Gray

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-07-08
★ 7/10
Samuel L. Jackson is renowned hostage negotiator "Roman" who is shocked to learn of the murder of his partner. A little further investigation reveals that he had been looking into a multi-million dollar pension fraud. Next thing he knows, "Roman" is being charged with his friend's killing and decides to turn the tables. He goes to the office of the Internal Affairs department, seizes some hostages, barricades himself into the locked office and summons another negotiator "Sabian" (Kevin Spacey) to the scene. What now unfolds is a cleverly crafted detective mystery as the two must overcome their initial professional suspicions of the other, and gradually try to piece together what actually did happen to his pal and to ascertain just who did steal all the cash! It's a good, solid, story this and it's well told with Jackson and Spacey delivering a tale of corruption and mistrust that illustrates just how tough it is to fight back when the very people there to enforce the law are those abusing it. The supporting cast are a bit lacklustre - maybe a bit like an episode of "Hill Street Blues" but it flows well with a tricky denouement that though predictable enough, is quite well executed. It's maybe a bit on the long side, it does take a while to get up an head of steam - but once we get going, it is at the better end of the genre.
RalphRahal2025-02-08
★ 8/10
The Negotiator is one of those classic thrillers that still holds up well today. The plot is engaging from the start, throwing you into a tense, high-stakes standoff where trust and deception play a big role. The pacing is solid, though it stretches a bit in parts, but the setup and execution make up for it. F. Gary Gray's direction keeps the tension tight, balancing action and drama without overcomplicating things. The cinematography isn't flashy, but it works well in capturing the claustrophobic feel of the hostage situation, making you feel right there with the characters. What really makes this movie stand out is the acting. Samuel L. Jackson delivers an intense, gripping performance that makes it easy to connect with his character and root for him. Kevin Spacey plays off him perfectly, creating a dynamic where their back-and-forth feels natural and engaging. The supporting cast is strong too, though some characters feel a bit underdeveloped. The script does a good job keeping the dialogue sharp and the tension high, but at times, it leans into familiar tropes that might feel predictable. The score and sound design do their job well, enhancing the mood without being too overpowering. While the soundtrack isn't particularly memorable, the way sound is used to heighten key moments is effective. Overall, The Negotiator is a well-crafted thriller with strong performances and a gripping story. It might not be flawless, but it delivers where it counts, making it an easy movie to rewatch and appreciate.