Strange Days

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Strange Days

R

1995

2h 25m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

58 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Former policeman Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) has moved into a more lucrative trade: the illegal sale of virtual reality-like recordings that allow users to experience the emotions and past experiences of others. While the bootlegs typically contain tawdry incidents, Nero is shocked when he receives one showing a murder. He enlists a friend, bodyguard Mace (Angela Bassett), to help find the killer -- and the two soon stumble upon a vast conspiracy involving the police force Nero once worked for.

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Critics Consensus

Strange Days struggles to make the most of its futuristic premise, but what's left remains a well-directed, reasonably enjoyable sci-fi fantasy.

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Anthony Lane

The New Yorker

03/10/2023

Fiennes holds steady; his moody, lonely performance, especially in the beguiling first half hour, lends the story an air of calm despair.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

06/07/2022

2/4

What this movie is ultimately saying is, don't think at all.

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Juan M. Mendez

New York Daily News

08/18/2021

4/4

Strange Days is not a simple film, but a profound sensory experience, where the filmmaker is the prophet of a reality just around the corner.

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Pat Padua

Washington City Paper

Jan 15

"...chillingly prescient in so many other ways, an opening volley for a new century that would unfold in ways we could never have predicted."

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Oct 28

4/5

It remains James Cameron's most persuasively prescient piece of pessimistic prediction and depressing dystopia. A film about society’s tipping point into desensitization and disengagement gets at more actual boogeymen than indestructible robot people.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

07/27/2025

2.5/4

...a progressively erratic endeavor that fares best within its novel and often electrifying first half...

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Farah R.

@Farah May 6

An interesting concept and good performances make Strange Days worth watching. But only once as it’s too noisy and overstimulating. Definitely not one I’d revisit.

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Frank F

@RT84165188 Apr 22

Too long, too many twists, too much blood. Acting ok, but plot gets muddy.

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Scott M

@RT75128960 Jan 4

The acting by Ralph Fiennes is what carries this movie. The story itself is rather stupid. It actually has 3 stories going on a once and the director tries hard to tie them all together. I used to like it, but after recently re-watching it I now kind of dislike it.

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Jason H

@RT50328122 Dec 31

I have loved this movie since I saw it in theaters way back in 1995. The ending gets me every single time.

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P T

@RT42531504 Sep 15

We need a reboot. Like, right now.

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C.S. M

@RT20841719 Aug 31

One of my favorite cyber-punk thrillers.

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Kathryn Bigelow

Director

Ralph Fiennes

Lenny Nero

Angela Bassett

Lornette "Mace" Mason

Juliette Lewis

Faith Justin

Tom Sizemore

Max Peltier

Michael Wincott

Philo Gant

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Synopsis

Former policeman Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) has moved into a more lucrative trade: the illegal sale of virtual reality-like recordings that allow users to experience the emotions and past experiences of others. While the bootlegs typically contain tawdry incidents, Nero is shocked when he receives one showing a murder. He enlists a friend, bodyguard Mace (Angela Bassett), to help find the killer -- and the two soon stumble upon a vast conspiracy involving the police force Nero once worked for.

Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Producer: Steven-Charles Jaffe, James Cameron
Screenwriter: James Cameron, Jay Cocks
Distributor: Fox, 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Lightstorm Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 13, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $7.3M
Runtime: 2h 25m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo