He frees hostages for a living. Now he's taking hostages to survive.
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.
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Character
Classical in form, contemporary, earnest and grave.
- classical in formformally daring
- contemporarynostalgic
- earnestironic
- gravecomic
- resolvedopen-ended
Who loves it, who doesn't
30 profiled raters. Loved most by The Comfort Seekers; disliked most by The Comfort Seekers.
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“Is Samuel L. Jackson the best thing in The Negotiator?”
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“Is this F. Gary Gray's best work?”
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“Would a little humor have helped?”
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A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- RalphRahalon TMDB · Feb 20258/10
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 overpow
Read the whole review on TMDB - CinemaSerfon TMDB · Jul 20227/10
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.
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Cast
- Samuel L. JacksonLt. Danny Roman
- Kevin SpaceyLt. Chris Sabian
- David MorseCdr. Adam Beck
- Ron RifkinCdr. Grant Frost
- John SpencerChief Al Travis
- J.T. WalshInsp. Terence Niebaum
- Siobhan Fallon HoganMaggie
- Paul GiamattiRudy
- Regina TaylorKaren Roman
- Bruce BeattyMarkus
Crew
- F. Gary GrayDirector
- Kevin FoxScreenplay
- James DeMonacoScreenplay
- Russell CarpenterDirector of Photography
- Graeme RevellOriginal Music Composer
- Christian WagnerEditor
- Arnon MilchanProducer
- David HobermanProducer
Where to watch
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Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
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Often watched with
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