Disturbing Behavior
On an isolated island, two rebellious teenagers uncover a sinister program turning high-school conformity into literal behavioral control.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- paranoid
- eerie
- satirical
- late night horror marathon
- 1990s nostalgia night
What critics said
Critics found a promising teen-conformity premise undermined by derivative plotting, uneven tone, weak scares, and studio-shaped incoherence.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Blue Ribbons embody enforced behavioral uniformity, while Steve and Rachel investigate how students are transformed.
Steve and Rachel oppose Dr. Caldicott, Officer Cox, and the school system after Gavin undergoes treatment and changes.
The cafeteria's clique taxonomy and the Blue Ribbon image mock high-school hierarchy while the disappearances and conditioning create paranoia.
The perfect students, identical jackets, and yogurt-shop gatherings create an immaculate surface for the island's sinister secret.
Films like Disturbing Behavior, and why
The Stepford Wives
teen paranoia, enforced conformity, and sinister behavioral conditioning in a suburban setting
The Faculty
high-school science fiction horror centered on authoritarian social control and altered identity
Village of the Damned
young outsiders investigate apparently perfect peers hiding a supernatural threat
A Clockwork Orange
rebellious youth, institutional conditioning, and darkly stylized social conformity
Movie Details
- Director
- David Nutter
- Release Date
- 1998-07-24
- Runtime
- 84 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (434)
Cast
- James Marsden
- Katie Holmes
- Nick Stahl
- Bruce Greenwood
- William Sadler
- Chad Donella
- Katharine Isabelle
- Tobias Mehler
- Steve Railsback
- Terry David Mulligan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Disturbing Behavior about?
- On an isolated island, two rebellious teenagers uncover a sinister program turning high-school conformity into literal behavioral control.
- What is Disturbing Behavior like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Disturbing Behavior as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Disturbing Behavior violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Disturbing Behavior as moderate.
- What did critics think of Disturbing Behavior?
- Critics found a promising teen-conformity premise undermined by derivative plotting, uneven tone, weak scares, and studio-shaped incoherence.
- Which films are like Disturbing Behavior?
- Films with a similar feel include The Stepford Wives, The Faculty, Village of the Damned, and A Clockwork Orange.
- How long is Disturbing Behavior?
- Disturbing Behavior runs 84 minutes.
- Where can I watch Disturbing Behavior?
- In United States, Disturbing Behavior streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
