Pacific Heights

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Pacific Heights

R

1990

1h 43m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

33 Reviews

48%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Unmarried yuppies Patty (Melanie Griffith) and Drake (Matthew Modine) move into an expensive dream home in a high-end neighborhood in San Francisco. As they renovate the house, they look for a tenant for the first floor of their house. Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton) seems like a great fit at first, but it transpires that he is a con artist who plans to swindle them out of their real estate. As Hayes tries to drive them out of their own home, the couple must take drastic measures to fight back.

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Critics Consensus

Michael Keaton certainly proves himself as an effective villain, but Pacific Heights sticks too closely to well-worn thriller conventions.

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John Lyttle

Independent (UK)

Jan 21, 2026

John Schlesinger's slack, daft thriller is desperately in need of sub-text, a convincing script and firmer construction.

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Lynden Barber

Sydney Morning Herald

Jan 21, 2026

What really hampers Pacific Heights is a script too contrived to really convince.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jan 1, 2000

2/4

As a story idea, Pacific Heights has a certain appeal. The movie's problem is in its execution.

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Tom Ryan

The Sunday Age

Jan 21, 2026

'Pacific Heights' works well enough as a thriller.

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Scott Hettrick

Kansas City Star

Sep 23, 2025

Director John Schlesinger lets the potentially gripping premise dissipate without ever grabbing the audience by the throat.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Jan 22, 2025

3/4

...promising (and foolproof) subject matter that’s employed to mostly engaging effect by Schlesinger...

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Ryan T

@RT91888008 3 days ago

It is every landlord's nightmare and anyone else who has to live next door. I wish it had more sinister elements, though.

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laurent B

@RT95576478 Aug 22, 2026

I loved it ! It's well-directed, well-played by a bunch of solid and convincing actors, and the plot is very gripping. It's like a Hitchcock movie. Not a masterpiece but very entertaining. Plus, some good ideas and some clichés are avoided because it is John Schlesinger.

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mark S

@RT56067613 Jul 8, 2026

It's a poorly written mess of a movie. I made it through 2/3rds of it, then decided to reclaim my life. Only bright spot is Keaton.

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Christian K

@ckacar Jul 2, 2026

Solid tenant from hell movie, its way too light on all aspects Keaton. Watching Modine crash out over and over again was funny.

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Stoner J

@Stoner May 7, 2026

Probable Schleshinger’s weakest, yet still thrilling flick. It’s good and a still underrated squatter thriller. Eye for an Eye is better though.

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Noel L

@RT15930389 Aug 10, 2025

I thought it was a great thriller where not everyone is what the seem

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John Schlesinger

Director

Melanie Griffith

Patty Palmer

Matthew Modine

Drake Goodman

Michael Keaton

Carter Hayes

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Toshio Watanabe

Nobu McCarthy

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Synopsis

Unmarried yuppies Patty (Melanie Griffith) and Drake (Matthew Modine) move into an expensive dream home in a high-end neighborhood in San Francisco. As they renovate the house, they look for a tenant for the first floor of their house. Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton) seems like a great fit at first, but it transpires that he is a con artist who plans to swindle them out of their real estate. As Hayes tries to drive them out of their own home, the couple must take drastic measures to fight back.

Director: John Schlesinger
Producer: Scott Rudin, William Sackheim
Production Co: Morgan Creek Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 13, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $27.9M
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Surround

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