Pacific Heights

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Pacific Heights

R,

1990,

1h 43m,

Mystery & Thriller

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Watchlist

52%

33 Reviews

Tomatometer

46%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

33 Reviews

46%

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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Dec 1, 2018

Awful. Incomprehensible mess

Abraham S

Oct 3, 2018

Pacific Heights is an underrated movie and has Michael Keaton playing a sinister role as the tenant from hell. Melanie Griffith and Mathew Modine play a yuppie San Francisco couple who rent out their sublet to others. Unfortunately Michael Keaton- a rich but shady customer enters the fray and immediately convinces them to let him stay. It's a psychological thriller with a nice setting. I suggest you go in with an open mind.

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Harry W

Sep 25, 2018

Pacific Heights works because of Michael Keaton. Pacific Heights is an underrated movie and has Michael Keaton playing a sinister role as the tenant from hell. Melanie Griffith and Mathew Modine play a yuppie San Francisco couple who rent out their sublet to others. Unfortunately Michael Keaton- a rich but shady customer enters the fray and immediately convinces them to let him stay. It's a psychological thriller with a nice setting. I suggest you go in with an open mind. (Great thriller from 1990).

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Hermione M

Jul 24, 2018

Pacific Heights is an underrated movie and has Michael Keaton playing a sinister role as the tenant from hell. Melanie Griffith and Mathew Modine play a yuppie San Francisco couple who rent out their sublet to others. Unfortunately Michael Keaton- a rich but shady customer enters the fray and immediately convinces them to let him stay. It's a psychological thriller with a nice setting. I suggest you go in with an open mind. (Michael Keaton is neither funny nor a vigilante hero here).

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May 29, 2018

That's what i call a decent thriller..One pf my personal 90s favorite..

Albus P

Oct 4, 2017

A few issues with Modine's acting and some character based flaws, along with the unrealistic thievery of the villain's property by the female protagonist (because how else should, or could, this film end?!) hold this film back from a properly good rating. Michael Keaton, though, was the best, as usual.

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John Schlesinger

Director

Melanie Griffith

Patty Palmer

Matthew Modine

Drake Goodman

Michael Keaton

Carter Hayes

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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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