The Stepfather

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2:27

The Stepfather

PG-13

2009

1h 41m

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

15%

Tomatometer

59 Reviews

34%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

When Michael Harding (Penn Badgley) returns home from military school, he discovers that his mother (Sela Ward) has a new man, named David (Dylan Walsh), in her life. Though David makes Michael's mother very happy, Michael cannot seem to shake feelings of distrust. He becomes increasingly suspicious of the man and wonders if the pleasant exterior hides a sinister side.

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Critics Consensus

This tepid remake of the 1987 cult classic lacks the tension and satirical undercurrents of the original.

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Perri Nemiroff

CinemaBlend

Aug 12, 2010

2.5/5

The genre has diverged into two paths: the brutally gruesome and the suspenseful. This is going for the latter, which would have been fine if it were in fact thrilling.

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Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

Dec 11, 2009

2/5

There's mayhem all over the place and not a policeman, or much logic, in sight. Watchable nonsense, with performances better than the story deserves.

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Nigel Floyd

Time Out

Dec 11, 2009

1/5

Not so much a contemporary re-make of Joseph Ruben's 1987 psychological thriller as a lobotomised bastard step-child: over-plotted, over-long, and stripped of the original's sharp, satirical subversion of suburban family values.

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Joe Lipsett

Murder Made Fiction Podcast - Bloody Disgusting

Aug 18, 2026

3/5

The remake is bigger and longer and gender swaps the teen character...but curiously doesn't do anything with the newfound male energy. Emblematic of the 00s remake craze - for better and worse

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Aug 30, 2023

2/4

This inane venture into familiar territory does nothing besides inspire audiences to put the 1987 original into their rental queue.

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Stephanie Archer

Film Inquiry

Jun 19, 2021

While it suffers from a few plot holes, lack of gore, and some cheesy horror tropes along the way, it proves to be an enjoyable film overall.

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B P

@Bradster69 Sep 1, 2026

Not Bad, but Not My Favorite

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J H

@UpstateNYThriller Jul 22, 2026

7.7 / 10 Great thriller movie, Mystery Murderer Stepdad with no name, kills family then moves on Penn Badgley is in it. Late 2000s movie. Killer thriller type movie, takes place in Oregon.

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Stoner J

@Stoner Jul 15, 2026

Sure it ain’t the original, but it’s a solid remake that’s very entertaining, and far underrated.

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Victor D

@Loyal_998 Jul 13, 2026

Im gonna write that this movie is boring and not interested to be re-watchable. Nothing about this was a good story to end like that.

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The W

@TheWagners Jul 4, 2026

Again with these terrible remakes, a movie that doesn't take anything seriously. You'll wonder why there are no kills or there's no thrilling things happening. The effects are so bad as well. Terrible movie

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Ralph R

@RT14837316 Aug 3, 2025

The Stepfather remake is a horror flick with a clean suburban sheen but it kinda feels like it was checked off a list rather than crafted. Direction and production look fine, the visuals are sharp, but there’s zero bite. Dylan Walsh is solidly creepy as quietly obsessive David, so credit there. Penn Badgley does okay as the suspicious teen, but the script keeps tripping him up with unbelievable choices. The rest of the cast? Sela Ward brings realism, And Amber Heard..... Story-wise, the setup is the only thing that grabs you; once the pattern kicks in, it gets predictable real quick. By the time you hit the ending, you’re like “yep”.

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Nelson McCormick

Director

Dylan Walsh

David Harris

Sela Ward

Susan Harding

Penn Badgley

Michael Harding

Amber Heard

Kelly Porter

Jon Tenney

Jay

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The Stepfather: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

When Michael Harding (Penn Badgley) returns home from military school, he discovers that his mother (Sela Ward) has a new man, named David (Dylan Walsh), in her life. Though David makes Michael's mother very happy, Michael cannot seem to shake feelings of distrust. He becomes increasingly suspicious of the man and wonders if the pleasant exterior hides a sinister side.

Director: Nelson McCormick
Producer: Mark Morgan, Greg Mooradian
Screenwriter: J.S. Cardone
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Maverick Films, Imprint Entertainment, Granada Film Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Disturbing Images|Brief Sensuality|Intense Sequences of Violence|Mature Thematic Material)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 16, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 9, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $29.1M
Runtime: 1h 41m

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