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What Lies Beneath

2000

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

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51

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 67 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	Your Score
6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 67 Ratings

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What Lies Beneath

Movie Details & Credits

DreamWorks Distribution | Release Date: July 21, 2000 | PG-13

Starring: Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer

Summary: A professor (Ford) investigates the murder of a beautiful college student who has been appearing to his wife (Pfeiffer).

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 130 min

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Metascore

Critic Reviews

83

Portland Oregonian

Shawn Levy

As it unwinds, What Lies becomes both masterful and preposterous. Read full review

75

Miami Herald

Rene Rodriguez

An uncommonly playful fright machine -- a fun house factory of scares. Read full review

70

Variety

Emanuel Levy

A thriller that tries aggressively, but not entirely successfully, to deliver the goods of three genres -- suspense, supernatural and horror. Read full review

50

USA Today

Susan Wloszczyna

Never reaches much beyond the surface, and what lies there is all too predictable. Read full review

50

Boston Globe

Jay Carr

Ford and Pfeiffer deliver craftsmanlike work, but the film steadily unravels as Zemeckis tries to ratchet up the suspense. Read full review

50

Philadelphia Inquirer

Steven Rea

Dumb, dumb, dumb - borrowing scare tactics from Hitchcock and other suspense masters, but forgetting basic story.telling essentials such as character development and logical exposition. Read full review

20

Dallas Observer Gregory Weinkauf

What Lies Beneath is my head on the movie theater floor, snoozing through this film. Read full review

SEE ALL 35 REVIEWS

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User Reviews

10

RandyJ

Sep 9, 2006

A Brilliant first-rate classic. Mind blowing intelligence and incredible acting deliver the small blows. Sheer terrifying brilliance delivers the rest. A perfectly cast mind-blowing tour-de-force, stunning and superb. The greatest horror movie of our time.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

9

Nickkk

Jan 28, 2011

A smart thriller with brilliant acting from Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer. Definitively one of my favorites. While focusing on the problems of an apparently normal relationship, "What Lies Beneath" has some original scary moments and much suspense.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

9

beeanadou

Apr 30, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Interesting story and acting, there was an alternative to explain the paranormal things happened in the house and the hostess's hysterical reaction made you almost believed that it was the right answer, however, with the investigation going deeper, the really truth was not revealed until the very end. Brilliant story-telling keeps the audience in suspense. BTW, the film's name is a pun.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

8

OregonJayBird

Jan 8, 2015

Very Hitchcock like movie. True to his style in every way. Well written, well edited, well acted. Naysayers will be out there, but then, not everyone loves Hitchcock, either, so there you go.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

7

MovieMasterEddy

Apr 9, 2016

The imposing shadow of Hitchcock looms large over Robert Zemeckis' "What Lies Beneath," a thriller that tries aggressively, but not entirely successfully, to deliver the goods of three genres -- suspense, supernatural and horror -- for the price of one movie. Revisiting the turf of stylishThe imposing shadow of Hitchcock looms large over Robert Zemeckis' "What Lies Beneath," a thriller that tries aggressively, but not entirely successfully, to deliver the goods of three genres -- suspense, supernatural and horror -- for the price of one movie. Revisiting the turf of stylish thrillers, in which an upscale yuppie couple is haunted by mistakes of the past, story centers on a genius researcher and his loving wife, played by Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, whose seemingly happy marriage and stable life are utterly shaken by mysterious events that spiral out of control. Intermittently scary but not fully absorbing, this DreamWorks-Fox co-production should grab strong opening numbers due to shrewd marketing that positions pic as an adult thriller.

Top flight talent on both sides of the camera can’t quite disguise the B-quality of Clark Gregg’s script, a patchwork composed of bits and pieces from Hitchcock’s suspensers, the Gothic “haunted house” tradition, “Fatal Attraction”-like cheap thrill sensations, creepy supernatural mysteries like “The Sixth Sense” and so on.

“What Lies Beneath” won’t restore Ford or Pfeiffer to pre-eminence. On the one hand, the old-fashioned material is inferior to their talents, while on the other, it’s not spooky or stylish enough to become a must-see for the goodtimes-hungry summer masses.First act is an unabashed reworking of “Rear Window” with a gender reversal. Norman and Claire Spencer (Ford and Pfeiffer) move to a picturesque house near a Vermont lake after sending their daughter to college. As soon as they settle down, Claire begins to suspect that there’s something wrong with their neighbors, Warren and Mary Feur (James Remar and Miranda Otto).

Behind a fence that divides the two estates, she hears vocal arguments, then painful cries. Like Jimmy Stewart in Hitchcock’s classic, she’s glued to her window with spectacles, soon beginning to fear that Warren has murdered his wife. Norman, who’s totally consumed with his research project and upcoming conference, dismisses her reports.

Top flight talent on both sides of the camera can’t quite disguise the B-quality of Clark Gregg’s script, a patchwork composed of bits and pieces from Hitchcock’s suspensers, the Gothic “haunted house” tradition, “Fatal Attraction”-like cheap thrill sensations, creepy supernatural mysteries like “The Sixth Sense” and so on.

“What Lies Beneath” won’t restore Ford or Pfeiffer to pre-eminence. On the one hand, the old-fashioned material is inferior to their talents, while on the other, it’s not spooky or stylish enough to become a must-see for the goodtimes-hungry summer masses.First act is an unabashed reworking of “Rear Window” with a gender reversal. Norman and Claire Spencer (Ford and Pfeiffer) move to a picturesque house near a Vermont lake after sending their daughter to college. As soon as they settle down, Claire begins to suspect that there’s something wrong with their neighbors, Warren and Mary Feur (James Remar and Miranda Otto).

In a problematic sequence that lacks much credibility, an angry Claire accuses Warren of murdering his wife at a public function attended by Norman’s notable peers, only to realize that his wife is there.

The movie then drops the Hitchcockian subplot — which proves to be a teaser — and turns into a supernatural mystery revolving around a lone woman in a haunted house.

Some humor is integrated into the proceedings by the presence of Claire’s cynical divorcee friend, Jody (a splendid Diana Scarwid), in scenes in which the two discuss witchcraft and try to communicate with ghosts on a Ouija board.

Changing gears again, third chapter centers on Claire’s discovery that her husband had an affair with a girl who is missing. Working as a private eye, she conducts an obsessive investigation to discover the girl’s whereabouts, including a visit to the girl’s distressed mother.

Echoing motifs of Bernard Herrmann’s music for Hitchcock, Alan Silvetsri’s score contributes effectively to the menacing atmosphere.

Tech credits are high grade, especially widescreen lensing by Zemeckis’ longtime collaborator Don Burgess, which keeps things fluid during the numerous house-bound scenes. There are notable trick shots within tight and confined spaces, good use of multiple mirrors that both reflect and distort Claire’s reality and long takes that allow the actors to develop a scene organically.

Zemeckis, best known for combining storytelling skills and technical wizardry (“Back to the Future,” “Forrest Gump,” “Contact”), operates on a new turf, directing a thriller for the first time.

All along, the feeling is that the filmmakers don’t trust the core material and try to compensate with a complicated storyline and overbaked production.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

6

Meth-dude

Apr 29, 2018

Despite an interesting story and a charming cast, What Lies Beneath has trouble raising it's quality above average. The acting wasn't particularly good despite the fact that both of the main characters are known to give good performances, the third act, while being entertaining wasDespite an interesting story and a charming cast, What Lies Beneath has trouble raising it's quality above average. The acting wasn't particularly good despite the fact that both of the main characters are known to give good performances, the third act, while being entertaining was completely illogical, cliché and way too over the top compared to the more realistic and slow previous acts and the movie isn't very scary.If you're looking for a good scary paranormal flick, I'd suggest you watch something else.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

1

JakeG

Sep 9, 2006

A stupid plotline really. I mean ghosts in a house? Ghosts going into people's bodies? Corny.

0 of 3 users found this helpful

SEE ALL 11 REVIEWS

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Awards & Rankings

51	#51 Most Discussed Movie of 2000
29	#29 Most Shared Movie of 2000

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