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The Stepfather
2009 101 min United States of America PG-13 18+
★5.0
Horror, Thriller
Director: Nelson McCormick
🎭 Based on
«The Stepfather»
Trailers
Description
Michael Harding returns home from military school to find his mother happily in love and living with her new boyfriend, David. As the two men get to know each other, Michael becomes more and more suspicious of the man who is always there with a helpful hand. Is he really the man of her dreams or could David be hiding a dark side?
Budget:
$20M
US Gross:
$29.06M
Worldwide:
$31.2M
Starring
Penn Badgley
Actor
Dylan Walsh
Actor
Sela Ward
Actor
Awards
2 nominations total
Key opinion
The 2009 remake of The Stepfather is generally considered a watchable but formulaic thriller. While Dylan Walsh’s performance as the titular villain is often cited as a highlight, the film is frequently criticized for its predictability and illogical character behavior.
| Acting | Dylan Walsh delivers a charismatic and unsettling performance that effectively grounds the film's psychological tension. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is widely regarded as derivative, relying on predictable thriller tropes and a formulaic structure that offers few surprises. | |
| Screenplay | Many characters make frustratingly illogical choices, particularly by investigating the villain themselves rather than involving law enforcement. | |
| Pacing | Opinions on pacing are divided; some find the slow-burn approach engaging and atmospheric, while others find the film dull and lacking in momentum until the final act. | |
| Ending | The film's ending polarizes viewers, with some praising its subversion of slasher clichés and others dismissing it as weak, abrupt, or narratively unsatisfying. |