Genres
Drama thriller
Primal Fear (1996): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Primal Fear is a 1996 drama thriller directed by Gregory Hoblit, starring Laura Linney, Richard Gere and Edward Norton. It is based on Primal Fear by William Diehl. It runs 2 hours 9 minutes and earned $102.6 million worldwide. It won 1 award from 3 nominations, one of them 1 Oscar nomination. Critics gave it 47 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.7/10.
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- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 9m (129 min)
- Director
- Gregory Hoblit
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- Based on
- Primal Fear by William Diehl
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
The story
What Is Primal Fear About?
The premise of Primal Fear without spoilers, adapted from Primal Fear by William Diehl. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A high-stakes lawyer, Martin Vail, defends an impoverished altar boy accused of murdering a prominent archbishop. As Vail investigates the case, he finds himself battling corruption, his ambition, and a former lover who is now the prosecutor. The investigation forces him to examine his own moral compass and confront the complex web of power and deceit surrounding the crime.
Primal Fear Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- altar boy
- lawyer
- manipulation
- deception
- murder trial
- courtroom
- stuttering
- amnesia
- dissociative identity disorder
- chicago illinois
- defense attorney
- confession
+38 more Show fewer
- scandal
- psychopath
- mental illness
- pornographic video
- based on novel
- surprise ending
- neo noir
- lawyer client relationship
- murder of a priest
- sex tape
- psychiatric evaluation
- professional rivalry
- corruption
- political conspiracy
- priest
- psychiatrist
- feigned mental illness
- directorial debut
- federal prosecutor
- boys' choir
- anger
- testimony
- mutilation
- interview
- contempt of court
- housing project
- child abuse
- choir
- district attorney
- revenge
- female frontal nudity
- two word title
- political cover up
- murder investigation
- crime reporter
- reference to the scarlet letter
- scene of the crime
- catholic priest
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Cast & crew
Primal Fear Cast
Laura Linney leads the cast, with Richard Gere and Edward Norton. Directed by Gregory Hoblit.
-
Director Gregory Hoblit
From the director
More from Gregory Hoblit
More films directed by Gregory Hoblit, best-rated first: Frequency, Fracture, Hart's War and Untraceable.
Ratings
Primal Fear Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Primal Fear 47 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.7/10.
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IMDb 7.7 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 47 Metascore
User score 7.7
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 77% User score
See on TMDB
Plot
Primal Fear Plot Summary
What happens in Primal Fear from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Martin Vail, a prominent and cynical defense attorney in Chicago, thrives in the limelight, utilizing his legal acumen to secure freedom for his high-paying clients through clever technicalities. One day, he is drawn to a news report about the arrest of Aaron Stampler, an altar boy plagued by a stutter, who stands accused of murdering the Archbishop Rushman, a revered figure within the Catholic community. Seizing this opportunity, Vail eagerly agrees to represent Aaron pro bono.
Full summary
The whole story of Primal Fear, scene by scene
Box office
Primal Fear Box Office
Primal Fear grossed $102.6 million worldwide. $56.1 million came from the US and Canada and $46.5 million (45%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$102.6M
- US & Canada
- $56.1M
- International
- $46.5M
US & Canada 55%
Rest of the world 45%
Awards
Primal Fear Awards & Nominations
Primal Fear won 1 award from 3 nominations, one of them 1 Oscar nomination. Its biggest night was the Golden Globes 1997, with 1 win from 1 nomination.
1 win3 nominations3 ceremonies
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Golden Globes 1997 1 win · 1 nomination- Won Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama, Musical or Comedy (Supporting Actor) – Edward Norton
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BAFTA 1997 1 nomination- Nominated Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Edward Norton
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Oscars 1997 1 nomination- Nominated Actor in a Supporting Role – Edward Norton
Videos
Primal Fear Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Primal Fear.
Quiz
How Well Do You Know Primal Fear?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who plays the role of defense attorney Martin Vail?
Cars
Cars in Primal Fear
18 cars on screen, including the 1978 Mercedes-Benz 300 CD W123 and the 1993 Ford Crown Victoria.
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1978 Mercedes-Benz 300 CD W123 Main role -
1993 Ford Crown Victoria Important role -
1981 AM General DJ-5 Dispatcher Minor role -
1983 Alfa Romeo Spider Background role
Details
Primal Fear Also Known As
35 alternative titles, including “프라이멀 피어” and “Первобытный страх”.
- Also known as
-
- 프라이멀 피어
- Первобытный страх
- Zwielicht
- Lęk Pierwotny
- ไพรมอลเฟียร์ สัญชาตญาณดิบซ่อนนรก
- La verdad desnuda
- Φόβος Ενστίκτου
- A Raíz do Medo
- İlk Korku
- Schegge di paura
- Peur primale
- 一级恐惧
+23 more Show fewer
- Las dos caras de la verdad
- Legbelső félelem
- Prvotní strach
- פחד ראשוני
- As Duas Faces de um Crime
- 驚悚
- Первісний страх
- 真実の行方
- Avocatul diavolului
- Първичен страх
- Izvirni strah
- Iskonski strah
- Et spørsmål om skyld
- La raíz del miedo
- Pirmykštė baimė
- Alaston pelko
- Les dues cares de la veritat
- Ürghirm
- Terreur extrême
- Prvotný strach
- 一級恐懼
- ترس اولیه
- Tột Cùng Sợ Hãi
Seen Primal Fear?
More like this
Movies Like Primal Fear
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Primal Doubt, Cape Fear and The Client.
From the blog
Articles About Primal Fear
Our article about Primal Fear: “Exploring the Thriller Genre: Suspense in Cinema”.
FAQ
Primal Fear FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of Primal Fear, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Primal Fear?
Primal Fear runs 2 hours 9 minutes (129 minutes).
When was Primal Fear released?
Primal Fear was released on April 3, 1996.
Who directed Primal Fear?
Primal Fear was directed by Gregory Hoblit.
More films by Gregory Hoblit Who is in the cast of Primal Fear?
Primal Fear stars Laura Linney, Richard Gere and Edward Norton.
How much did Primal Fear make at the box office?
Primal Fear grossed $102.6 million worldwide ($56.1 million domestic, $46.5 million international).
How is Primal Fear rated?
Primal Fear has 7.7/10 on IMDb, 47 on Metacritic and 77% on TMDB.
Is Primal Fear based on a book?
Yes. Primal Fear is adapted from Primal Fear by William Diehl.
What awards did Primal Fear win?
Primal Fear won 1 award from 3 nominations, including Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama, Musical or Comedy (Supporting Actor) at the Golden Globes 1997.
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