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The Tall Man

  • 2012
  • R
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
44K
YOUR RATING
Jessica Biel in The Tall Man (2012)
In an isolated mining town, a nurse and mother goes on a frantic search for her son, David, who might be the newest victim of the Tall Man, a mysterious entity thought by locals to abduct children.
Play trailer1:56
4 Videos
27 Photos
Supernatural HorrorSuspense MysteryCrimeDramaHorrorMysteryThriller

When her child goes missing, a mother looks to unravel the legend of the Tall Man, an entity who allegedly abducts children.When her child goes missing, a mother looks to unravel the legend of the Tall Man, an entity who allegedly abducts children.When her child goes missing, a mother looks to unravel the legend of the Tall Man, an entity who allegedly abducts children.

  • Director
    • Pascal Laugier
  • Writer
    • Pascal Laugier
  • Stars
    • Jessica Biel
    • Jodelle Ferland
    • William B. Davis
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.9/10
    44K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Pascal Laugier
    • Writer
      • Pascal Laugier
    • Stars
      • Jessica Biel
      • Jodelle Ferland
      • William B. Davis
    • 261User reviews
    • 178Critic reviews
    • 52Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 6 nominations total

    Videos4

    Theatrical Version
    Trailer 1:56
    Theatrical Version
    The Tall Man
    Trailer 1:57
    The Tall Man
    The Tall Man
    Trailer 1:57
    The Tall Man
    The Tall Man: Taken
    Clip 1:22
    The Tall Man: Taken
    The Tall Man: The Diner
    Clip 1:15
    The Tall Man: The Diner

    Photos27

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    + 22
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    Top cast37

    Edit
    Jessica Biel
    Jessica Biel
    • Julia Denning
    Jodelle Ferland
    Jodelle Ferland
    • Jenny
    William B. Davis
    William B. Davis
    • Sheriff Chestnut
    Stephen McHattie
    Stephen McHattie
    • Lieutenant Dodd
    Samantha Ferris
    Samantha Ferris
    • Tracy
    Colleen Wheeler
    Colleen Wheeler
    • Mrs. Johnson
    Eve Harlow
    Eve Harlow
    • Christine
    Janet Wright
    Janet Wright
    • Trish
    Ferne Downey
    • Lady…
    John Mann
    John Mann
    • Douglas
    Teach Grant
    Teach Grant
    • Steven
    Garwin Sanford
    Garwin Sanford
    • Robert
    Jakob Davies
    • David
    Lucas Myers
    • Deputy Campbell
    Pat Henman
    • Nurse at police Infirmary
    Katherine Ramdeen
    Katherine Ramdeen
    • Carol
    Alicia Gray
    • Young Mother #3
    G. Michael Gray
    G. Michael Gray
    • Young Father #2
    • Director
      • Pascal Laugier
    • Writer
      • Pascal Laugier
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews261

    5.944.4K
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    Featured reviews

    6bowmanblue

    Know what you're getting

    Tall Man has come in for a fait of criticism from people expecting one thing and getting another. If you've seen (Director) Pascal Laugier's previous film 'Martyrs' then you may be a little more prepared for a film that deliberately leads you in one direction, only to almost switch genres midway through and go off in a totally different direction.

    Tall Man is about a woman (Jessica Biel) whose child goes missing in a town where this sort of kidnapping is commonplace and put down to the legend of the 'Tall Man' - a shadowy figure who steals children. From there, she has to unravel the mystery behind the kidnappings.

    Most people (including me) expected a straight horror film. What it turns out to be is more than that. Perhaps 'thriller' would describe it better. Everyone turns in a solid performance and, if you're in the mood for something a little different, with a few twists and turns, then you could do worse than this.

    Just know that this isn't simply your average 'horror.'
    7Shopaholic35

    Even better than I expected.

    This is an absolute gem of a crime thriller. I was a little surprised at first when I watched it because the trailers made it out to seem like a horror movie but nevertheless it was really good. It didn't feel "done before" at all and kept you guessing as to what would happen next. Right in the middle you have this massive OMG didn't see that coming moment and it changes the whole overtone. Sure there were a couple of small flaws but what do you expect from a low budget movie. It didn't need expensive tricks and effects as it instead relied on a strong story and talented cast. Speaking of which, Jessica Biel is such an underrated actress as she does a fantastic job in this movie. She is incredibly believable in the role and really immerses herself in the character.

    So ignore all the haters on this one as it has so much to offer. By the end you will realise that this movie is so much more than its synopsis and I promise that you will really enjoy it.
    7zhivago97

    Indescribable

    Indescribable, other than to say there are so many twists and surprises there is no way to guess what's next...or how it ends. And this movie has plenty of depth that allows for interpretation. Definitely not a one trick pony!

    The movie started slow, and I was bored for the first 15 minutes, but I hung in there and so glad I did. It's a really good movie! The acting is terrific. The characters are complex, each conveying some "good" and some "bad" as well as some mystery. The plot is complicated but eventually everything comes together. What you thought you knew, you eventually realize was far off base.

    The constant twists are very effective at moving the storyline along at a pretty fast pace (I.e., you don't want to miss scenes or you will not get the full impact). Everything gets explained, but you have to pay attention to every scene.

    Kudos to the writers and producers for tying up the storyline in a neat bow. So many other movies leave lose ends all over the place and fall short on the logic/explanation, but not this one. Stick with it until the end and you will be happy that you did!

    Not a perfect movie, but far better than average and definitely worth a watch. It's a really good example of what lesser films "should" mirror to be better.
    5saadgkhan

    innovative idea in the end become mushy

    The Tall Man – CATCH IT (B-) The Tall Man is a very interesting movie about an an isolated, slowly dying mining town, children are vanishing without a trace - abducted, the townsfolk whisper, by a mysterious entity known locally as "The Tall Man." Town nurse Julia Denning (Jessica Biel) seems skeptical...until her young David disappears in the middle of night. Frantic to rescue the boy, Julia lives every parent's darkest nightmare in this twisting, shock-around-each-corner thriller. The First half of the movie is really enjoyable as it's a complete thriller about a town, a woman, missing children and tall man. But once the shocking revelation was made after 50mints the movie becomes more of a social message than a thriller till the end. This doesn't goes in favor of the movie because maybe it's the biggest cover up in the town we still want some chilling running from the evil. Jessica Beil is great and perfect for her role but the twist they have in the movie only works if the woman is as strong as Jessica Beil. On the whole, it's a good thriller in first half and an okay movie in the second part.
    6Extraneus92

    It was perfectly pleasant

    The basic premise of 'The Tall Man' is that some neckbeard is going around abducting children from the town of Cold Rock, a town full of belligerent arseholes. Immediately I thought that this was some generic slasher film but it turned out to be so much more. There are many twists and turns, though sometimes they can be incoherent and it took me a short while to figure out what was actually happening. Don't watch this if you're drunk.

    Jessica Biel is the star of the show playing a nurse who I think from what I gathered has lived in the town for a while with her son. Biel is fantastic in this film and I think that she deserves a lot of credit as she really lifts the quality. Without her this film would have been savaged by the critics. It's that type of film. I'd recommend it as Wednesday night entertainment, but the main problem is that it just fades into the background which is unfortunate. In summary, if you have a couple of hours, kick back and enjoy.

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    Related interests

    Daveigh Chase in The Ring (2002)
    Supernatural Horror
    James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
    Suspense Mystery
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Inspired by the legend of Slenderman, which itself eventually spawned its own film, Slender Man (2018).
    • Goofs
      The film is supposed to be set in Washington State. However, in the beginning a train is shown crossing in front of the town and the crossing reads "RAILWAY CROSSING." In the United States, all rail crossings are labeled "RAILROAD CROSSING." The film was obviously made in Canada. Also, the train is a Canadian Pacific locomotive.
    • Quotes

      Julia Denning: The system is broken. It doesn't work. There's no where to turn, no support. I've seen it all over the world, it's just easier to give up. I'm not any better than you, Mrs. Johnson, I've just seen more. It's not a matter of being a good person or being a bad person, it's about how you cope. We're so limited. But the eyes of every child are filled with potential and hope, and we should embrace and nourish that potential, but we don't, and we continue to make the same mistakes, and we continue to let the children grow up broken and lost, just like their parents. We have to break the cycle. It has to be a priority, but it's not. That's what I've been trying to do. That's what I've done everywhere. And what did I change? Nothing. Yes, I cared, I helped, I cuddled, thinking I was bringing change, thinking I was making a difference, but when we asked for real change, all these bureaucrats said, "No, you can't do that. There's a process." Every time we questioned the politicians, and the system that makes poor people poorer, and the children suffer, they said, "No, you can't do that. There's a process." So the cycle goes on, and goes on and goes on, and the children continue to suffer, and no one does anything about it, and the world will never change.

    • Connections
      Featured in Made in France (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      Let's Ride Into The Sunset Together
      Written by Tony Vice & Jerry Burnha

      Performed by Lost Weekend Western Swing Band

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    FAQ19

    • How long is The Tall Man?Powered by Alexa
    • Is 'The Tall Man' based on the tall man from 'Marble Hornets'?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 5, 2012 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • France
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Chuyển Giao
    • Filming locations
      • Salmo, British Columbia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Minds Eye Entertainment
      • Radar Films
      • Forecast Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • €15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,462,847
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 46m(106 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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