The Negotiator (1998)

Director:

F. Gary Gray

Writers (WGA):

James DeMonaco (written by) &
Kevin Fox (written by)

Release Date:

29 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Chicago's two top negotiators must face each other. One of them is holding hostages. The other is demanding surrender. And everyone's holding their breath.

Plot:

In a desperate attempt to prove his innocence, a skilled police negotiator accused of corruption and murder takes hostages in a government office to gain the time he needs to find the truth.

Plot Keywords:

Negotiator | Police | Hostage | Murder | Corruption

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson	...	Lt. Danny Roman
Kevin Spacey	...	Lt. Chris Sabian
David Morse	...	Cmdr. Adam Beck
Ron Rifkin	...	Cmdr. Grant Frost
John Spencer	...	Chief Al Travis
J.T. Walsh	...	Insp. Terence Niebaum
Siobhan Fallon	...	Maggie
Paul Giamatti	...	Rudy Timmons
Regina Taylor	...	Karen Roman
Bruce Beatty	...	Markus
Michael Cudlitz	...	Palermo
Carlos Gómez	...	Eagle
Tim Kelleher	...	Argento
Dean Norris	...	Scott
Nestor Serrano	...	Hellman

Also Known As:

Verhandlungssache (Germany)
El mediador (Argentina) (Mexico) [es]
A Negociação (Brazil) [pt]
A Negociação - Justiça a Qualquer Preço (Brazil) (video title) [pt]
Arabulucu (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Förhandlaren (Sweden) [sv]
Forhandleren (Denmark) [da]
Il negoziatore (Italy) [it]
Le négociateur (Canada: French title) [fr]
Négociateur (France) [fr]
Negociador (Spain) [es]
Neuvottelija (Finland) [fi]
O Negociador (Portugal) [pt]
Oriakes diapragmatefseis (Greece) [el]
Pogajalec (Slovenia) [sl]
Pregovarac (Serbia) [sr]
The negotiator: Negociador (Spain) [es]
Verhandlungssache (Austria) [de]
Vyjednávac (Slovakia) [sk]
Vyjednavac (Czech Republic) [cs]

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Runtime:

139 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Philippines:PG-13 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | USA:R (certificate #36071) | Netherlands:12 (re-rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KT | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Italy:T | Netherlands:16 (original rating) | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

77 W. Wacker Drive, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Regency Enterprises

Trivia:

The wife of Danny Roman's partner, Nate Roenick, mentions their son, Jeremy. Jeremy Roenick is the name of a hockey player who used to play for the Chicago Blackhawks in the city where the movie is set.

Goofs:

Continuity: During one of the early negotiating scenes, the clock in the negotiating room shows early afternoon when it is clearly night time.

Quotes:

Lieutenant Danny Roman: [while hiding behind Nebaumas a shield] Now leave your badge, guns, cuffs everything on the table
Lieutenant Danny Roman: [a officer on the above walkway jumps out from behind the pilar. Roman firs a shot that misses his head by inches] That wasn't an accident and neither will the next one that goes in your head, now get out!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Kill Point: Pilot - Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolf, Part 1 (#1.0)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Doin' What I Did

Very well done

Terrific action drama about dedicated cop Jackson,who is framed for the murder of his partner and stealing money funds. Spacey does a great job as the stranger. Film relies more on drama than action which is good in this case. Marred only by overlength.

Rating:**** (out of five)