The Bone Collector
Seen it?1999 | 118 min | Crime, Thriller, Drama, Mystery
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It's still drawing plenty of interest, though it had just 29% on Rotten Tomatoes. 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 and anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved American Gangster or Gone Baby Gone, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 58 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Critics were cooler on it than audiences.
Lincoln Rhyme was the department's top homicide detective and leading expert in criminal forensics until an injury left him paralyzed, depressed, and incapable of working. But when a gruesome murder in Manhattan leaves detectives baffled, they call on Rhyme to help solve the mystery. Amelia Donaghy, a rookie cop whose quick thinking preserved a gruesome murder scene, is enlisted by Rhyme to be his on-the-scene forensics expert. With Amelia reluctantly acting as Rhyme's able-bodied go-between, the pair piece together cryptic clues the killer leaves behind at the scene of the crime, hoping to catch the grisly serial killer.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsWeak
29% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.8 out of 10
- AwardsWeak
0 wins and 1 nomination from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$151 million worldwide on a $73 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 227K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Phillip Noyce
- Denzel WashingtonLincoln Rhyme
- Angelina JolieAmelia Donaghy
- Queen LatifahThelma
- Michael RookerCaptain Howard Cheney
- Michael McGloneDetective Kenny Solomon
- Luis GuzmánEddie Ortiz
- Leland OrserRichard Thompson
- John Benjamin HickeyDr. Barry Lehman
- Bobby CannavaleSteve, Amelia's Boyfriend
- Ed O'NeillDetective Paulie Sellitto