Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- offbeat
- sardonic
- lazy sunday
- cult movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly saw a promising, freshly conceived detective comedy elevated by off-kilter humor and likeable lead performances, despite loose focus and uneven execution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Daryl Zero solves impossible cases but struggles with ordinary social interaction, music, and emotional intimacy.
Zero investigates blackmail against a wealthy executive while the client's secrecy makes the case increasingly personal.
Zero's eccentric behavior constantly frustrates assistant Steve Arlo even as their investigative success depends on their collaboration.
The film combines a whodunit, blackmail plot, romantic complications, and deliberately strange humor rather than presenting a conventional detective thriller.
Films like Zero Effect, and why
The Big Lebowski
off-kilter detective comedy, eccentric investigator, and playful mystery plotting
The Long Goodbye
stylized private-eye mystery with comic tonal shifts and an idiosyncratic protagonist
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
crime comedy driven by buddy friction, elaborate schemes, and deadpan humor
The Big Sleep
quirky detective storytelling, romantic complications, and an unusual central investigator
Movie Details
- Director
- Jake Kasdan
- Release Date
- 1998-01-30
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (204)
Cast
- Bill Pullman
- Ben Stiller
- Ryan O'Neal
- Kim Dickens
- Angela Featherstone
- Hugh Ross
- Sarah DeVincentis
- Matt O'Toole
- Michele Mariana
- Robert Katims
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Zero Effect about?
- An antisocial genius private eye and his exasperated assistant navigate a blackmail case that turns professional detachment into personal chaos.
- What is Zero Effect like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Zero Effect as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Zero Effect violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Zero Effect as mild.
- What did critics think of Zero Effect?
- Critics broadly saw a promising, freshly conceived detective comedy elevated by off-kilter humor and likeable lead performances, despite loose focus and uneven execution.
- Which films are like Zero Effect?
- Films with a similar feel include The Big Lebowski, The Long Goodbye, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and The Big Sleep.
- How long is Zero Effect?
- Zero Effect runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Zero Effect?
- In United States, Zero Effect is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
