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Zero Effect

Play trailer Poster for Zero Effect R 1998 1h 55m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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66% Tomatometer 56 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Private investigator Daryl Zero (Bill Pullman) is one of the finest sleuths in the world but also one of the most eccentric. A recluse prone to odd behavior, Daryl utilizes his assistant, Steve Arlo (Ben Stiller), as his face to see clients. When businessman Gregory Stark (Ryan O'Neal) falls victim to a blackmail plot, he employs Daryl to find the culprit. Daryl starts to home in on Gloria Sullivan (Kim Dickens) as a suspect, but he also finds her attractive, which complicates the case.

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Zero Effect

Zero Effect

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Critics Consensus

A promising debut for writer/director Jake Kasdan, Zero Effect overcomes its flaws with its off-kilter humor and likeable leads.

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Critics Reviews

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Martin Hoyle Financial Times 06/21/2023
Polished, ironic, enjoyable and hugely promising. Go to Full Review Geoff Brown The Times (UK) 06/21/2023
The film's eccentricities are badly controlled; and they oddly sit with the tired thriller conventions that are visible elsewhere. Once he loosens up, Kasdan might create something less artificial. Go to Full Review Quentin Curtis Daily Telegraph (UK) 06/21/2023
If you are looking for something on a smaller scale and more cerebral, you could do a lot worse than Zero Effect. Go to Full Review Matthew Sweet Independent on Sunday 06/21/2023
It's Kasdan who should really take the credit: his script is witty, and his handling of detective conventions is easy and unmannered. Remember his name. Go to Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies 01/31/2023
3.5/5
As a film, Zero Effect shows Kasdan's promise as a filmmaker. Go to Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault 09/01/2022
B
The presence of Stiller may lead you to expect a light, quirky Gen-X spin on the detective genre, but it cuts deeper than that. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Donald A @TheRealAckervold 01/07/2024 Zero Effect is a slick, witty, and a comically brilliant retelling of the World's Greatest Detective. Bill Pullman is hilariously charming, and one of Ben Stiller's less heavy-on-comedy roles is additionally well-rounded. Throw in a fantastic breakthrough performance from Kim Dickens, and a surprisingly dynamic Ryan O'Neal, and Zero Effect all but lives down to its title. See more Steve D @RT35616104 02/12/2023 Talented leads but it is just too odd. See more ArtystaPisarz @ArtystaPisarz 02/02/2023 Why? How? I mean – what is the reason that we didn't get more of Daryl Zero? Sure, this movie was not perfect, far from it, but it was also a very, very promising start. I would gladly watch more and there is plenty of material to go by (didn't Conan-Doyle wrote fifty-six Holmes stories)? "Zero Effect" has dry, sleek style that I enjoyed for what it is. This movie is very 90's. It is also such a subtle retelling of "A Scandal in Bohemia" that I didn't realize what it was until after it was over. And you tell me that this was done by the guy who directed both of the new "Jumanji" movies? Just let this man meet with Bill Pullman and Ben Stiller again (both of them are great in this movie)! Just let them make a sequel! Perhaps a version of "Shoscombe Old Place"? Or even of "The Final Problem"? That, I think, would be a great, mature movie. Just don't let them anywhere near "The Hound of the Baskervilles". That story sucks. See more Bob B @RT04010261 08/08/2022 This is one of the best movies ever made. And it has one of the coolest the soundtracks ever. Nick Cave rarely makes it onto a movie soundtrack. I don't even wanna talk about the movie but just think modern day Sherlock Holmes and go see it! Combined with Permanent Midnight, Thick as Thieves 1998 ( The Alec Baldwin one not the Morgan Freeman one) and Suicide Kings they make up a quad of the most criminally underrated movies of the 90s and possibly of all time. See more 02/13/2022 Really great movie. Period See more 09/22/2021 4.0. Best bill pullman role I’ve seen him in See more Read all reviews
Zero Effect

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Cast & Crew

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Jake Kasdan

Director

Bill Pullman

Daryl Zero

Ben Stiller

Steve Arlo

Ryan O'Neal

Gregory Stark

Kim Dickens

Gloria Sullivan

Angela Featherstone

Jess

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Zero Effect

Zero Effect (1998) Zero Effect (1998) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Private investigator Daryl Zero (Bill Pullman) is one of the finest sleuths in the world but also one of the most eccentric. A recluse prone to odd behavior, Daryl utilizes his assistant, Steve Arlo (Ben Stiller), as his face to see clients. When businessman Gregory Stark (Ryan O'Neal) falls victim to a blackmail plot, he employs Daryl to find the culprit. Daryl starts to home in on Gloria Sullivan (Kim Dickens) as a suspect, but he also finds her attractive, which complicates the case.
Director
Jake Kasdan
Producer
Lisa Henson, Jake Kasdan, Janet Yang
Screenwriter
Jake Kasdan
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Manifest Film Co., Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia, Castle Rock Entertainment
Rating
R (Language)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 30, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
May 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.0M
Runtime
1h 55m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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