Hide And Seek Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Come out come out whatever you are
If you want to know the secret, you have to play the game.
Hide and Seek revolves around a widower (Robert DeNiro) and his daughter (Dakota Fanning). They move to upstate and Emily (Fanning) soon creates an imaginary friend named Charlie...but this act takes an unexpected and terrifying turn, where her father and doctor (Famke Janssen) start to worry about Emily's gruesome habits.
| Robert De Niro | David Callaway |
| Dakota Fanning | Emily Callaway |
| Famke Janssen | Katherine |
| Elisabeth Shue | Elizabeth |
| Amy Irving | Alison Callaway |
| Dylan Baker | Sheriff Hafferty |
| Melissa Leo | Laura |
| Robert John Burke | Steven |
| Molly Grant Kallins | Amy |
| David Chandler | Mr. Haskins |
| Stewart Summers | Doctor |
| Jake Dylan Baumer | Disturbed Boy |
| Josh Flitter | Little Boy |
| Brendan Sexton III | Store Clerk |
| Jacqueline Lovell | Party Guest |
| John Polson |
5.50 out of 10 (15585 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Mediocre horror movie doesn't move.
posted on 28 Aug 2009I think Robert De Niro is a great actor, and I expected him to be in this. I was sorely mistaken. Robert De Niro is usually a tough cop or a tough gangster, or sometimes a tough comedian, so it wasn't that great watching him attempt to act as a single father to a troubled 9 year old girl. Robert De Niro plays a father whose wife has committed suicide, so he moves his daughter to the country to help her forget. Here, she makes what he thinks to be an imaginary friend, but we know that this friend is real. As weird things begin to happen, he very unconvincingly worries about his daughter.The movie is both too slow and too fast at the same time. Dakota Fanning just didn't fit in the creepy little girl category. Robert De Niro was terrible. Then we are given a twist ending that you can see coming from a mile away, and it's an ending that we've seen many times before. I left the theatre very disappointed. The worst part of it is it's not even scary.4/10
Hide & Seek A Welcome Break From The Everyday Horror Filler
posted on 20 Aug 2009First 2005 movie I get to see, and it's a horror flick with Robbie deNiro and Dakota Fanning. Fanning has constantly impressed me, but deNiro proved he'll do schlock horror films like Godsend. However, this one wasn't another crappy PG-13 horror flick. It didn't look like a stupid slasher 'Freddy vs. Jason' type either. So did I want to see this? Hell yes. Is it any good? Plot: 19/25: After his wife Alison (Irving) slits her wrists, psychologist David Callaway (deNiro) takes his daughter Emily (Fanning) out to live in the country to try to get away from it all. Emily becomes very secluded and makes up an imaginary friend named Charlie. At least David thinks he's imaginary. But when things start to happen and Emily starts to get scared… Of course, there is a little more involved. David begins to form a relationship with local divorcé Elizabeth Young (Shue), which started when he tried to help Emily find friends in her niece (which, of course, never really got anywhere). There also is a part involving their neighbours (Leo & Burke), who recently lost a child.All in all, the plot works well for a horror movie. It is fairly intelligent, but becomes a little too stereotypical for my taste at the end, using a plot device that is both unnecessary and unwanted. For the most part, though, the plot carries the chills that we want.Horror: 23/25: Basically, horror movies nowadays are divided by PG-13 or R. The PG-13 ones are toned down, relying on quick grabs and darkness. R rated horror movies, with few exceptions, rely on over-excessive gore and sex. Now, each of these can work. I liked The Ring and I liked Dawn of the Dead. But H&S tries something more different. This one creates a genuinely creepy atmosphere. It got an R rating not because of gore (which is minimal) or sex (which doesn't exceed Shue wearing low-cut dresses), but because this one is the kind of movie that genuinely has you scared while you sit in your little chair. Granted, it does cheap out now and then and use some lights-off scares, and is never really scream-out-loud scary, but the atmosphere will have you paralyzed.Acting: 25/25: DeNiro (The Godfather Part Two) has been in a slump lately. The only hits he's had since '97 have been comedies (though I thought City by the Sea and Men of Honour were both great). Here, deNiro is great, showing that, even if he hasn't shown it in a while, he still has what it takes to give a great performance. Fanning (Man on Fire) is the most talented young actress working now, and is extremely creepy here. Shue (Hollow Man) shows the concern for Emily needed for her character, but basically doesn't have much to due but show cleavage. Janssen (X-Men) is good, but underwritten, as David's friend/co-worker. The acting, due to the two leads, gets a perfect.Entertainment: 22/25: Apparently, this movie is getting panned. While I can understand complaints about the ending, this movie is a very welcome break from the barrage of terrible horror movies we've seen recently. When horror movies didn't have so much gore it was silly or tamed themselves down to make a quick buck, we had movies that had a frightening atmosphere, and this is a great throwback to the time when horror movies were actually scary. If you are a self-respecting horror fan, you owe it to yourself to ignore the critics and see this one.Total: 89%: Hide and Seek is underrated, that's all there is to it. It creates a frightening atmosphere that draws you in, partly thanks to great acting, and is a welcome break from the everyday crap we're spoon-fed so often. I, for one, recommend it.
Excellent movie :)!!~
posted on 20 Aug 2009I thought it was awesome :) .. The ending was a big shocker for me. I would have never suspected it would end like it did. *Im not going to give it away to any of you out there who may be reading this without even seeing the movie.. lol* It was chilling from the get go. That's one of my fav things about the movie. I get an adrenaline rush from movies just like "Hide -n- Seek." Not to mention that it has both Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning in it. They both separately make exceptionally good movies, so you can just imagine how great they were as a team. I loved the movie and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys scary movies just as much as I do.
amazing!!
posted on 16 Aug 2009i give this movie a total 10/10 because i was just amazed. i was so impressed by Robert DeNiro's work. He is a fabulous actor. And Dakota Fanning- don't even get me started... she is so completely talented. :) i was on the edge of my seat when i first saw this movie. the whole time i was wondering who was charlie and why he was doing all these things. it all was such an amazing, twisted movie. which i- personally enjoy very much. in this movie i was really impressed by Fanning and DeNiro's work together. they're both so talented and gifted. also Famke Janssen was amazing. everybody was totally into character and they were ready for anything. this movie must've taken a lot of effort and cooperation- and everybody gave those quality's. it was truly amazing. i don't know what else to say... natalie :) :)
Excellent thriller
posted on 14 Aug 2009This movie, unlike the person at the top has rated it, deserves 10/10, as this movie is the best i have ever seen! Firstly, it has a reasonable plot and the it is stuck by all the way through, and secondly there is a lot of drama and suspense in this movie. Even though the story isn't very true to life, not many movies are. If i had to suggest a movie for anyone, expect younger children obviously, you should see this one. My all time favourite bit is when the police guy comes in and Emily tells him to die. Frightening, and a little down right scary at some points, this movie has an all time great potential as a horror film spectacular. So if you feel ready for a good scare go down to the cinema this weekend and watch this thriller movie on the big screen you wont be disappointed.
A Hackneyed Plot
posted on 12 Aug 2009***This comment definitely contains spoilers!!!*** Robert de Niro's recent movie "Hide and Seek" is, as another IMDb commentator stated, a "watchable" movie. Although it is decently made, its failure to become a box office success was due to its script which was rather cliché. The plot line that the central character of the movie turned out to be the real villain is nothing new. Probably it was first used by Agatha Christie in her novel "Murder of Roger Ackroyd" approximately eighty years ago. Even with the further twist that this central character/villain himself probably did not remember the crimes due to memory suppression, the plot line is still nothing new. Rod Serling and others used this kind of plot line decades ago. (Some readers may recall a 1963 Twilight Zone episode "The New Exhibit" in which the central character played by Martin Balsam kept on killing and killing but did not remember any of his crimes due to his memory suppression. He blamed the murders on supernatural acts by his wax statues.) Because of this hackneyed plot, the so-called surprise ending of this movie was not much of a surprise. The only unexpected thing about the ending of the movie which is worth mentioning is the fact that the screenwriters steered the moviegoers to think that this movie was a horror movie in which an apparition named Charlie was behind all the horrible things occurring in the Calloway household. The screenwriters of the movie borrowed liberally from the Japanese movie "Dark Water" to make the movie look like a horror movie. For example, just like in the Japanese movie "Dark Water," 1) Calloway household consists of one parent and one child, 2) Charlie initially revealed himself only to the child and 3) Charlie seems to be associated with water, especially to the bathtub. At the beginning of "Hide and Seek," many fans of Asian horror movies and similar movies assumed this movie to be a horror movie, similar to "Dark Water." To the surprise of some of the moviegoers, the movie turned out to be a suspense movie in which none of the horrible events in the movie was supernatural. They were all the acts of the dual personality of the insane central character played by de Niro.Although de Niro did an admirable job playing the mentally ill psychologist, his acting was not good enough to save this rather cliché script. "Hide and Seek" was merely watchable, but not very unique.
"At one point, near the climax, the whole audience burst out laughing"
posted on 10 Aug 2009First up, I'll admit I'm not a fan of horror movies (and have never been close to being scared my a movie). But I was out with friends and some were keen to see it and there was nothing better on. So I wasn't expecting much. The acting was good, especially from the little girl, which for someone of that age was amazing. The cinematography was good. Not great, but good.The script was good albeit a little sparse at the start. One thing we learn from horror movies is that a lack of dialogue leads to boredom. You wouldn't expect a lot of dialogue at the climax of a horror movie but when no one says anything at the start you just get bored. Endless dreary grey scenes don't help either. Again it's not suitable during most of the body of the film but how about a little cheer at the start so they can strike it down later. This contrast between cheer and greyness would highlight the fear of the antagonist. OK I'm just rambling now, lets move on.Although the movie featured good acting, good filming technique and a good script, it was full of clichés. Additionally, the plot twist, while interesting and unexpected, was nothing new. But the curiosity does keep the movie alive. Not that it's particularly interesting or scary.THE IMPORTANT BIT: But there is one thing, above all else, that truly does stand out in this movie. I'm talking about the numerous references to paedophilia. I was laughing the whole way through the movie, as was much of the rest of the audience. At one point, near the climax, the whole audience burst out laughing at a blatant reference. It was truly entertaining. But it does say something about the film. Recommended for all immature people to see with their immature friends.
This was the worst De Niro film I have ever seen...
posted on 08 Aug 2009This was the worst De Niro film I have ever seen... I believe I could make a better film than this not only did it have massive plot loops it was amazingly boring Hide and Seek features a very evil looking Dakota Fanning and a very old looking De Niro I cant believe that De Niro has gone from the awesome taxi driver to this film is a travesty to De Niro's good name then again if you've seen analyse that then you'll know how bad he can be. Yet even after saying this Hide and Seek did have the right elements to be a good thriller/horror yet it unfortunately falls flat on its boring non-scary face which is quite a shame as I believe Dakota Fanning acted very well in Man on Fire and I do sincerely hope that this does not taint a promising career.Not only is this film boring it also has some of the most obvious plot lines and character development I have seen in a while, yet the strange almost paedophilia's cop does get a good beating which in my eyes is well deserved.In conclusion this film was a massive waste of time and I would have been better burning my hard earned cash and watching a bad b movie on T.V.
a wonderful movie
posted on 02 Aug 2009this is one of the best film of Robert De Miro that i admire it show us another character or a another skill of this stari think that Robert De Miro succeed to achieve this hard role its a wonderful movie. i want to add also Th role that played the girl his daughter in the move i think that it will be one of the movie star of the future its again a wonderful movie and a ll put it in my best movie list. thank to RobertDe Niro for doing that hard deal and a repeat its beautiful wonderful and magnificent... .
Not entirely predictable, worth an evenings viewing.
posted on 02 Aug 2009At first glance Hide and Seek appears to be a rehashed version of Godsend which also features Robert De Niro and a child that freelances as a serial killer. Is the child a killer? Why is he doing this? Is he possessed? Man that kid looks scary and malnourished, etc etc. In addition to looking very similar to the mediocre Godsend, Hide and Seek also deceivingly appears to be a very run of the mill 2nd rate horror movie but actually has some unexpected twists and turns. De Niro is fairly decent as the widowed psychologist attempting to build a new life for his daughter (Dakota Fanning) and himself after his wife's apparent suicide. De Niro probably puts in a better performance than some of his recent roles and continues to possess a significant on screen presence. Dakota is very good in nearly all of her recent performances and is likely to be a major future actress or go the way of most child stars, the Betty Ford Clinic. The pace of the movie is slow but keeps you interested and whilst you are unlikely to be excited or frightened (unless you're female) you will be entertained. Overall, Hide and Seek is not excellent, it's probably not even very good but it is a little different and quite entertaining for an evening's viewing. The DVD also has some decent alternate endings that provide some post movie fun.
Great psychological thriller and what the drawing meant
posted on 27 Jul 2009This thriller scared the daylights out of me. I loved it and the ride was so intense I thought I'd burst at the end of the movie. I never saw it coming, never predicted who or what Charlie was about--and was shocked. I LOVE IT! I love it when a movie sneaks up on me.Its great and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wants a good psychological thriller. Dakota Fanning was wonderful and shows great promise as an awesome actress. What can I saw about DeNiro--he delivers in spades (?) and never lets you down. I found myself gripping my fiancé at times and almost burying my head when I knew something scary was about to happen. I would have never predicted what the truth was and it was right there all the time. I loved this movie, will see it again, and buy it when its out on DVD. What a great and awesome piece of work. I am so glad I went. Go, you won't regret it. Oh and in case you don't know about the ending. The little girl was letting us know SHE HAS ANOTHER PERSONALITY. Just like daddy had Charlie, she too, has another personality! Prepare ye for part 2. Lorrie
Clichéd film with subpar De Niro performance
posted on 25 Jul 2009I used to like Robert DeNiro. He really took risks early in his career, and they have paid off handsomely. He has even done a pretty decent job in mainstream films. Now he must be desperately strapped for cash because he has been taking some bad roles/movies. This is definitely one of them.Spoiler Alert***************** Essentially, if you have seen "Secret Window", with Johnny Depp, then you know the story about this one. Problem is there are several plot holes that screw up this film further, and DeNiro can't really pull off the "split personality" role too well. Admittedly, it is a hard role to play, but it's not an excuse to play it poorly. As for the other roles, Dakota Fanning is decent in the role of DeNiro's daughter, and Elizabeth Shue is adequate as the love interest. The only good actors in this film are Faamke Jaansen, who plays the calm psychologist, and Amy Irving, who is great as the wife. Otherwise, this is a waste of 2 hours, and should be thrown in the trash.
Hide and Weep
posted on 13 Jul 2009I couldn't help but smile through the first 15 minutes of this movie, because I had this feeling I had 'bought' a horror movie and was 'sold' a duck. The only time I jumped in fright was when a cat jumps out of the cupboard with a crescendo of violins and...then...nothing happens. After 45 minutes you will still be waiting for something to happen...after 90 minutes the same...and then shock when you see the credits start to roll. The plot has been done a hundred times and so you are thinking all the way through 'that cant be it!' The part about this movie being terrifying is true in the fact that the great man Robert De Niro actually took a lead role in this flop. It is about a scary as The Village. Remember The Village? Hide and Seek is about as excited as watching carpet pile.
Well done! Another Suspenseful Thriller!
posted on 13 Jul 2009Well done thriller. One of the best I have ever seen in my life. Amazing story with it. Had me at the edge of seat holding on to the closest thing I could grasp tightly without doing any damage to anything.Well thought out, I am not going to get into the good details, but the ending was so good I almost wanted to cry. My heart literally stopped beating when I found out the truth of the movie, but you will have to find that out by yourself by watching this amazing thriller. I have seen many of these kinds of movies, but nothing compares to this. To bad they couldn't make a sequel to this, I would have gladly watched, first in line for a ticket, because the end of the movie left room for a sequel, but I am afraid that they aren't going to make one, which troubles me.Definite 8/10, deserves higher, but this mark is good enough.
A Nutshell Review: Hide and Seek
posted on 11 Jul 2009Would Dakota Fanning be the next Natalie Portman, or Christina Ricci? It's not a longshot, given the credible performance here in Hide and Seek. I still remembered that she managed to stand on her own against the enigmatic Denzel Washington in Man on Fire, and here, she does a commendable job beside veteran Robert De Niro.The premise of the show suggests suspense, thrills and maybe something of the supernatural perhaps? It explores the relationship between a psychologist and his daughter, after their wife/mother died in a suicide, or is it? What is the impact to a child who witnesses the death of a parent? Whilst the blood and gore are kept to a minimum, what you can't see actually sends shivers to you. The buildup shows a lot of potential, but too many red herrings and the pacing at the end leaves much to be desired. Any alert movie goer will anticipate and guessed the twist that is offered halfway through the film, and once that is done, the narrative seems to drag itself into an ending.Robert De Niro breezes through his role - nothing new to offer here, whilst Famke Janssen and Elizabeth Shue up the babe factor.Watch this not expecting a tight narrative or a shocking ending, but watch this for Fanning's performance.
The twist sent chills up my spine
posted on 09 Jul 2009If want a ghost movie or even a hack-slash-bloody horror movie, this movie is not for you. This movie plays on your mind and less of the whole sound loud music now and show a jumpy scene. There are no supernatural characters in this movie, which makes it realistic and therefore more believable. I usually find myself hating characters of scary movies because they are so stupid or have dumb actions, but this movie is not one of them. I enjoyed the movie because of the twist. Will this movie give you nightmares? No, but once you find out what's really going on, you can't help but be a little terrified. In my book, this is one of the better horror movies.
Good little suspenseful thriller
posted on 03 Jul 2009After the suicide of his wife (Amy Irving), David Callaway (Robert De Niro) takes his mentally disturbed 9-year-old daughter, Emily (Dakota Fanning) to a new home in the country in upstate New York. Instead of getting better, Emily begins to withdraw further, and she announces to her father that she has a new imaginary friend named "Charlie." At first, her father sees Charlie as a way for Emily to express her feelings. Then a series of vicious acts such as menacing writings appearing on the bathroom walls, and other mysterious occurrences start happening around the house. David blames Emily for doing them, but Emily says that Charlie did it. But is Charlie imaginary? You'd have to ask Emily, who is the only one who can see Charlie. Charlie may actually be both real and very dangerous. The movie is well crafted and suspenseful with a great cast. For a thriller, I did jump a few times. The ending was a little disappointing, but not unpredictable. (20th Century Fox, Run time 1:40, Rated R)(8/10)
absolutely fantastic!
posted on 25 Jun 2009i am not one that gets scared over movies often. in fact, i haven't really been scared of a movie since i was in elementary school. however, i love scary movies! i love the feeling of getting scared and / or just laughing at the ones that are horrible. if you feel like actually getting unbelievably creeped out, this movie is the one to get. it's perfect to watch with a group of friends, or by yourself (if you really feel like freaking out). dakota fanning does a wonderful job of being a creepy, severely messed up little kid. that was probably the scariest aspect of the movie. the idea of a child being somewhat psycho is very scary to me. it is not her usual, adorable child movie. also, kudos to robert deniro, who succeeded in being a concerned parent and not playing it off as hilarious, which he sometimes has a tendency to do. it's a very disturbing, creepy movie, unless you were a child like dakota fanning when you were younger, in which case you will probably relate. i wish you the best of luck if you are and hope never to meet up with you. watch this movie, it will leave you completely satisfied in a very unsatisfying way, if you know what i mean. if you don't, you'll find out. it's the definition of the "heebie geebies".
Creepy and thrilling, but nothing special.
posted on 17 Jun 2009The film shows off all the elements that are required to create a perfect horror/thriller atmosphere: large country house, young girl with a psychological problem, a traumatic past premise, use of some typical objects like mutilated dolls, child drawings, mysterious neighbors with a hidden agenda, the camera often taking positions of a hidden character e.g. shots through closet doors... the list goes on. The screenplay in most parts is smart enough to keep the viewer interested in the story. The acting is professional enough, by De Niro, Fanning or Shue.The one major problem is that the whole film depends on only one major plot twist in the end. And the filmmakers failed to protect it properly before it's actually revealed. One could easily guess it after the film's forty-five minutes or so, because there's no other explanation left. Within another few minutes you are pretty sure about it, after the incident with the neighbors. There could have been other small twists or at least a darker ending. With the story's structure it's indeed difficult to protect the twist and the film faltered naturally. So it remains nothing special... just another psychological horror/thriller releasing every year.
Exciting terror film with a good acting
posted on 30 Aug 2009The pic talks upon a family constituted for the psychologist father(Robert De Niro),mother(Amy Irving) and daughter(Dakota Fanning). The mother is dead and the rest family are going at home into the woods in upstate New York where happen terrible events. She's seen by a doctor(Famke Janssen) and the dad knows a girl friend(Elizabeth Shue).Since the start until the finishing the tension and the suspense is continued. The plot film is warped argument and the final has an extraordinary surprise. The movie blends mystery,intrigue,horror,thriller,fright and a little bit of gore when the murders happen.In spite of developed in interior scenarios and with a not many people, isn't tired neither dreary . At the motion picture there are spooky and creepy atmosphere and although is a little slow moving isn't bored because there are amount scares and shocks. The picture achieved limited success in United States, at Europe obtained more letterbox. The flick has certain resemblance to ¨the shining¨of Stephen King adapted by Stanley Kubrick. Interpretation Robert De Niro is top notch likeness to ¨Cape Fear¨. Dakota Fanning,the clever and psychic child is outstanding similar to role in ¨Man of fire¨. John Ottman music creates strong emotions and the movie is correctly directed by John Polson. The yarn will like to suspense and horror fans. Rating: average.