Child psychologist Carter Nix is a loving and caring family man, but under this appearance lies a dark and troubled past. Grappling with the consequences of this past on his own psyche and the influence of his returning father and violent brother Cain, Carter becomes involved in a series of murders and kidnappings. Meanwhile, his wife Jenny rekindles an old love affair, placing herself in the crosshairs of her increasingly unstable husband.
Acting
Lithgow's five-role showcase—campy, terrifying, and weirdly maternal.
Direction
De Palma's dizzying split-screens and Steadicam fever dreams.
Editing
The infamous nursery rhyme montage that makes zero sense and perfect sense.
Director
Brian De Palma
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
De Palma originally shot a longer, more serious cut; studio meddling turned it into the delirious B-movie we have today.
This was De Palma's immediate follow-up to Bonfire of the Vanities, making it essentially his 'screw it, I'm having fun' palette cleanser.
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