Stir of Echoes
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Stir of Echoes
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Stir of Echoes is a 1999 murder-mystery horror movie with violent scenes -- including a sexual assault and attempted suicide -- jump scares, and strong language. Based on a 1958 novel by Richard Matheson, Kevin Bacon plays Tom, who starts to see visions of a dead girl in his house after being hypnotized. Tom becomes obsessed with this and makes his wife, Maggie (Kathryn Erbe), feel isolated, though their relationship is strong and survives. There are a number of upsetting scenes, including a sexual assault and murder mostly shown from the victim's point of view. There is also a suicide attempt, and people are shot and stabbed with gory close-ups. The movie has frequent strong language, including variants of "f--k" and "s--t." There is also smoking, drinking -- to excess -- and a reference to being high from pot. A character is called out for referring to a girl with learning disabilities as "the retard."
What's the Story?
In STIR OF ECHOES, sceptical Tom (Kevin Bacon) drunkenly accepts to be hypnotized at a party. When he gets home, he starts to have ghostly visions of a teenage girl. Tom's five-year-old son, Jake (Zachary David Cope), also sees her and together they unravel the grisly truth behind her death.
Is It Any Good?
This effective horror movie manages the right balance of nasty plot points with a sense of fun. Stir of Echoes has dark themes, a creepy tone, a couple of well-earned jump scares, and a compelling murder mystery. By no means does it trivialize its subjects of sexual assault, murder, guilt, and cover-ups. But it keeps in mind that it's a movie first and foremost, and its job is to entertain. Some nifty filmmaking brings us into Tom's confusing and hypersensitive world as he struggles with dizzying hallucinations and bizarre dreams. For example, an abrasive red screen effect momentarily makes us share Tom's searing headache.
Late 1990s horror movies had a tendency to set up well and then throw a dodgy monster in for the final act. Here though, the horror is far more human, as Tom discovers a murder cover-up in his seemingly perfect neighborhood. This switch and the tense drama that plays out gets it past the finish line without fumble. While The Sixth Sense was 1999's most successful kids-see-ghosts movie, Stir of Echoes is a satisfying horror mystery that makes the most of its source material from thoughtful horror author Richard Matherson.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Stir of Echoes. Did you find it too much? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Did you think the movie was scary? What was most scary about it? Did it remind you of any other movies? What's the appeal of horror movies?
How did different characters deal with feelings of guilt? What alternative choices might each have made?
Talk about the strong language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? Was it needed to make the story more realistic?
How was drinking, smoking, and drug use depicted in the film? Were they glamorized? Why does that matter?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 10, 1999
- On DVD or streaming: February 1, 2000
- Cast: Kevin Bacon, Kathryn Erbe, Illeana Douglas
- Director: David Koepp
- Studio: Artisan Entertainment
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 99 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: violence, sexuality and language
- Last updated: December 20, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
The Sixth Sense
Great, but sometimes scarier than R-rated horror.
-
The Shining
Kubrick's suspenseful horror classic is violent and dark.
-
The Others
Good but creepy; may be too intense for some.
-
Poltergeist
One of the all-time great haunted house movies.
For kids who love scares
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