Phenomenon

Name: Phenomenon
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Released: July 3, 1996
Duration: 123 min
Rating: 41
Cast: John Travolta, Kyra Sedgwick

1996

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 100 Ratings

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8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 100 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: July 3, 1996 | PG

Starring: John Travolta, Kyra Sedgwick

Summary: An uplifting story of an ordinary man transformed by extraordinary events. (BV Entertainment)

Director: Jon Turteltaub

Genre(s): Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: PG

Runtime: 123 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

It's about change, acceptance and love, and it rounds those three bases very nicely, even if it never quite gets to home. Read full review

Liam Lacey

In a film that offers itself as a Gump-esque moral fable, Phenomenon could serve as a case study of When Smart Films Fail. Read full review

Staff(not credited)

In time-honored Hollywood fashion, PHENOMENON suggests that smart people are friendless freaks who'd be far better off if only they were just as dumb as the rest of us. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Put simply, this movie is dumb. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

Well-meaning and convinced it has something of value to say, its "Reach Out and Touch Someone" sensibility ensures that all its satisfactions will prove hollow, and so they do. Read full review

Elvis Mitchell

A whopping wrong turn throws this lightweight, benign-looking movie terminally off course. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

I don't doubt the noble motives behind this Disney parable, but the attempts at amiable, laid-back dialogue (script by Gerald DiPego) are painful, the pacing is sluggish, and the confused story's poorly focused. Read full review

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User Reviews

vallievi

Oct 23, 2014

Opposing to the astonishingly acid critics review, to me, the story reflects deeply how fears (of being hurt in Kyra Sedgwick, of loving a father in her child when John Malley comes into their lives and he has the possibility of restoring the presence of a father, and his trauma for divorceOpposing to the astonishingly acid critics review, to me, the story reflects deeply how fears (of being hurt in Kyra Sedgwick, of loving a father in her child when John Malley comes into their lives and he has the possibility of restoring the presence of a father, and his trauma for divorce abandoment drives him away from Malley, the isolation into fantasy of John's friend, who evades reality with Diana Ross not to confront his deep loneliness in terms of couple, social fears from the people when he becomes different...) can change our lives and keep us from relating to others, to love. Incredible actors, music, photography. Beautiful. Whoever focuses on the feasibility of the supernatural, did not understand the move. John Malleys dialogue with the doctor at the end, incredibly deep, therefore, not undertood by whoever is not able to go that deep into human experience in general. Only Travolta and Kyra Sedgewick could be the characters and Duvall the doctor and the friend...… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

AtticusD

Mar 1, 2009

SO good.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Obstinate177

May 15, 2021

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Excommunicado

Jan 19, 2020

Brilliant acting plus an original screenplay equals one of the best fantasy dramas of 1996.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Defame

Apr 30, 2021

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1 of 1 users found this helpful10

JayH

Sep 13, 2009

After such a promising first half, the story just peters out and loses its focus. The performances are good and sincere, I just wish they had kept the lightness of the first half throughout the film. Interesting idea given a fair treatment.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

avatar16

Jan 11, 2012

Autant le dire tout de suite, PhÃ©nomÃ¨ne n'est pas un film mÃ©morable. En effet, il est l'exemple type de la gentille comÃ©die tout droit sortie des studios hollywoodiens qui flirte avec le fantastique pour attirer les spectateurs (en plus duAutant le dire tout de suite, PhÃ©nomÃ¨ne n'est pas un film mÃ©morable. En effet, il est l'exemple type de la gentille comÃ©die tout droit sortie des studios hollywoodiens qui flirte avec le fantastique pour attirer les spectateurs (en plus du casting, composÃ© tout de mÃªme de John Travolta, Forest Whitaker, Robert Duvall...). Avec une mise en scÃ¨ne plate et une bande son trop poussÃ©e lors des sÃ©quences romantiques ou tristes, le film ne cache en aucun cas son statut de divertissement amÃ©ricain. Mais il faut bien reconnaÃ®tre que PhÃ©nomÃ¨ne reste avant tout attachant. En premier lieu par ses personnages, assez bien interprÃ©tÃ©s; et par son histoire qui prend enfin de l'ampleur aprÃ¨s une premiÃ¨re partie axÃ©e sur la comÃ©die orientÃ©e fantastique/science-fiction, grÃ¢ce Ã un retournement de situation astucieux sur ce que vit le personnage de Travolta. Un film juste attachant et pas dÃ©sagrÃ©able Ã regarder.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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45	#45 Most Discussed Movie of 1996
84	#84 Most Shared Movie of 1996