Disturbing Behavior
In Cradle Bay it doesn’t matter if you’re not perfect. You will be.
Production
Steve Clark is a newcomer in the town of Cradle Bay, and he quickly realizes that there's something odd about his high school classmates. The clique known as the "Blue Ribbons" are the eerie embodiment of academic excellence and clean living. But, like the rest of the town, they're a little too perfect. When Steve's rebellious friend Gavin mysteriously joins their ranks, Steve searches for the truth with fellow misfit Rachel.
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Trailers & Videos
Official Trailer
Cafeteria Fight
Secret Meeting
Steve Meets The Blue Ribbons
Clip
Cast
James Marsden
Steve Clark
Katie Holmes
Rachel Wagner
Nick Stahl
Gavin Strick
Bruce Greenwood
Dr. Edgar Caldicott
William Sadler
Newberry
Chad Donella
U.V.
Katharine Isabelle
Lindsay Clark
Tobias Mehler
Andy
Steve Railsback
Officer Cox
Terry David Mulligan
Mr. Clark
Susan Hogan
Mrs. Clark
A.J. Buckley
Charles 'Chug' Roman
Tygh Runyan
Dickie Atkinson
Crystal Cass
Lorna
Ethan Embry
Allen Clark
Stephen E. Miller
Frankie
Natassia Malthe
Mary Jo Copeland
Doug Abrahams
Security Guard
Robert Moloney
Ferry Guy
Dan Zukovic
Mr. Rooney
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Reviews
Wuchak
***The Stepford Teens, sort of***
When a Chicago family moves to an island in the Puget Sound, Washington, Steve (James Marsden) encounters the usual cliques at his new high school, but there’s something odd about the Blue Ribbon Club, a circle of high-achieving students who get a pass from the police when they screw-up. Nick Stahl plays Steve’s new friend, Katie Holmes a potential girlfriend and Katharine Isabelle his sister. Bruce Greenwood is on hand as a dubious school psychologist.
The set-up of “Disturbing Behavior” (1998) is similar to the same in “Twilight” (2008), but there are no vampires and werewolves. I won’t say more about the plot, except that it includes elements of Dr. Frankenstein and “The Stepford Wives” (1975). This isn’t really giving much away as the movie telegraphs everything from the get-go and so is kind of predictable.
Yet the Great Northwest locations are spectacular, the cast is good, particularly Marsden and Stahl, and the story is compelling enough. It’s just laden by a been-there, done-that vibe. Still, it’s way superior to the similar “The Faculty” (1998), not to mention more serious. It’s also arguably better than comparable flicks from the time period, like “Scream” (1996), “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997), “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer” (1998), “Urban Legend” (1998), “Jawbreaker” (1999) and “Final Destination” (2000). “Bad Girls from Valley High” is on par (which was shot in 1999, but not released until 2005).
The original length was 115 minutes, about 32 minutes longer than the released version, but producers found it too long and so cut out scenes that supposedly helped the movie to make more sense. Personally, I didn’t feel the movie was hard to grasp and never felt lost. But the last act needed more finesse because it does seem awkward and rushed; for instance, the mental hospital sequence flashes by so quickly you might miss it if you blink.
The film runs 1 hour, 23 minutes, and was shot in the Vancouver area, British Columbia, including Bowen Island.
GRADE: B
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