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Poster for Auto Focus

Auto Focus

Seen it?

2002 | 104 min | Crime, Drama

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

It earned strong reviews (71% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a lukewarm 6.4 out of 10 from audiences and a box office loss. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for crime-drama fans. If you loved The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Dark and gritty.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 44 min.
What might put you off
Rated R: expect drug use and sex.

A successful TV star during the 1960s, former "Hogan's Heroes" actor Bob Crane projects a wholesome family-man image, but this front masks his persona as a sex addict who records and photographs his many encounters with women, often with the help of his seedy friend, John Henry Carpenter. This biographical drama reveals how Crane's double life takes its toll on him and his family, and ultimately contributes to his death.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    71% on Rotten Tomatoes, 66 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesBelow par

    6.4 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $2 million worldwide on a $7 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 82K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Paul Schrader

  • Greg KinnearBob Crane
  • Willem DafoeJohn Carpenter
  • Rita WilsonAnne Crane
  • Maria BelloPatricia Olson / Patrica Crane
  • Ron LeibmanLenny
  • Kurt FullerWerner Klemperer
  • Ed Begley Jr.Mel Rosen
  • Michael E. RodgersRichard Dawson
  • Michael McKeanVideo Executive
  • Christopher NeimanRobert Clary