Stepfather

Theatrical Release Date: 2009 10 16 (USA)

UPC: 043396275072

Studio: Sony Pictures

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:[Violence, Adult Situations, Sexual Situations]

Summary: When a teenage boy (Penn Badgley) begins to suspect that his new stepfather (Dylan Walsh) is a notorious serial killer who preys on broken families, he races to gather the evidence that will back up his radical claim before it's too late. The 1987 thriller that shot Lost star Terry O'Quinn to cult stardom serves as inspiration for this remake penned by J.S. Cardone and directed by Nelson McCormick. Sela Ward, Jon Tenney, and Amber Heard co-star in a Screen Gems release. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Category: Thriller

Features: Gag reel
Commentary with Penn Badgley, Dylan Walsh and director Nelson McCormick
"Open House: Making the Film" featurette
"Visualizing the Stunts" featurette

Stepfather

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 02/09/2010

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 2.40:1

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 102 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French

Subtitles: English,French

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- The Stepfather
1. Chapter 1 [5:06]
2. Chapter 2 [3:38]
3. Chapter 3 [4:25]
4. Chapter 4 [3:35]
5. Chapter 5 [1:55]
6. Chapter 6 [2:58]
7. Chapter 7 [2:38]
8. Chapter 8 [4:40]
9. Chapter 9 [3:27]
10. Chapter 10 [4:40]
11. Chapter 11 [3:15]
12. Chapter 12 [2:45]
13. Chapter 13 [3:51]
14. Chapter 14 [2:58]
15. Chapter 15 [4:34]
16. Chapter 16 [2:43]
17. Chapter 17 [4:02]
18. Chapter 18 [3:08]
19. Chapter 19 [2:54]
20. Chapter 20 [2:29]
21. Chapter 21 [2:27]
22. Chapter 22 [3:54]
23. Chapter 23 [3:01]
24. Chapter 24 [3:24]
25. Chapter 25 [3:30]
26. Chapter 26 [4:00]
27. Chapter 27 [5:13]
28. Chapter 28 [6:38]

Tracie Cooper

While the original version of The Stepfather may not be remembered with quite the same familiarity as its fellows in 1980s horror, the movie still holds a spot within the genre. Its suit-and-tie-wearing sociopath killed with a cold efficiency that was just as terrifying, albeit quieter, than his machete-wielding brethren. The remake, at times, is able to tap into the sense of unease elicited by killers that mix well with society -- but, for the most part, it's a bland, if passable, psychological thriller. The Stepfather begins as Grady Edwards (also known as David Harris in the film, among other aliases, played by Dylan Walsh) calmly exits his suburban home, where his latest family, having failed to meet his expectations, lies dead, scattered about the Christmas decorations. The killer has his routine down to a science: find a harried single mother in a public place, utter a few witticisms, pretend to be a widower, imitate all the hallmarks of an ideal courtship, and quickly take over the role of father and husband. Eventually, he believes, he'll stumble across the right fit. When he meets Susan (Sela Ward), a recent divorc?e, and two of her children in a grocery store, he has high hopes that they're the family he's been searching for. This is all made clear within the first 15 minutes of the film -- and those 15 minutes have potential. The film, as well as Edwards' plans, however, starts to unravel when he meets Michael Harding (Penn Badgley), Susan's son, fresh from a stint at military school, and his girlfriend, Kelly (Amber Heard). It's not that either of the young actors does a particularly bad job with what they were told to do, but most of their interactions are limited to frolicking by the pool, posing prettily in swimsuits, making out, and alluding to the possibility that Michael will have to return to military school in the fall. Though there are some genuinely tense moments as Michael begins to realize there's something seriously amiss, it doesn't take away from the feeling that a teen romance was hastily tacked on to draw a larger audience. The script doesn't help matters -- it's hard to believe Michael would notice that there's something too practiced about his soon-to-be stepfather's schtick when the rest of the dialogue is just as plastic. Ward and Walsh do manage to turn in two strong performances, both putting across a palpable, desperate desire for the perfect life, which manifests itself in denial for one, and murder for the other. There are several modern tweaks -- browser history, text messaging, and telltale ringtones, to name a few -- that bump the tension up a notch, but not enough to make The Stepfather much more than mildly entertaining. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Cast and Crew: J.S. Cardone  Executive Producer 
J.S. Cardone  Screenwriter 
Mark Morgan  Producer 
Nelson McCormick  Director 
Meredith Zamsky  Executive Producer 
Greg Mooradian  Producer 
Guy Oseary  Executive Producer 
Charlie Clouser  Composer (Music Score) 
Robert O. Green  Executive Producer 
Julie Meldal-Johnsen  Executive Producer 
Dylan Walsh  Actor 
Sela Ward  Actor 
Penn Badgley  Actor 
Amber Heard  Actor 
Sherry Stringfield  Actor 
Paige Turco  Actor 
Jon Tenney  Actor 
Nancy Linehan Charles  Actor 
Marcuis Harris  Actor 
Skyler Samuels  Actor 
Braeden Lemasters  Actor 
Deirdre Lovejoy  Actor 
Blue Deckert  Actor 
Jason Wiles  Actor 
Kara Briola  Actor 
Jessalyn Gilsig  Actor 
Cathy Schenkelberg  Actor 
David Guzzone  Actor 
Amanda Reyne  Actor 
Carmen Mormino  Actor 
Todd Cosgrove  Actor 
Tracey Costello  Actor 
Cheryl Anderson  Actor 
Pride Grinn  Actor 
Sean Moran  Actor 
Jack Chang  Actor 
Savannah Levin  Actor 

Country: USA