critics consensus

The Business of Strangers showcases a complex, compelling performance by Channing. Her interactions and clashes with Stiles make for riveting viewing. Read critic reviews

Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
Super Reviewer
Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified.
Fandango

AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

Enter your Ticket Confirmation# located in your email.More Info

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Theater box office or somewhere else
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)
How did you buy your ticket?
- Fandango
- AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew
  
  Enter your Ticket Confirmation# located in your email.More Info
- Cinemark Coming Soon
  
  We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
- Regal Coming Soon
  
  We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
- Theater box office or somewhere else
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
You haven’t finished your review yet, want to submit as-is?

You can always edit your review after.
Are you sure?

Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers.
Want to submit changes to your review before closing?

The Business of Strangers Photos

Director Patrick Stettner on the set of THE BUSINESS OF STRANGERS.

Stockard Channing stars as Julie Styron in Patrick Stettner's THE BUSINESS OF STRANGERS.

Julia Stiles (left) and Stockard Channing (right) in Patrick Stettner's THE BUSINESS OF STRANGERS.

Stockard Channing (left) and Julia Stiles (right) in Patrick Stettner's THE BUSINESS OF STRANGERS.

Frederick Wellers stars as Nick Harris in Patrick Stettner's THE BUSINESS OF STRANGERS.

View All Photos (24)

Movie Info

Julie Styron (Stockard Channing) thinks she is going to be fired, but instead discovers that she is being promoted. Trapped in an airport hotel, she wants to celebrate but finds only the company of her young assistant, Paula Murphy (Julia Stiles). As the night progresses, the two women get to know each other. They flirt, they drink, they lie; personal flaws are revealed and exposed. But at the end of the night their relationship turns and becomes a complex battle of power, authority, and wit.

Rating:

R (Strong Language|Some Sexuality)
Genre:

drama
Original Language:

English
Director:

Patrick Stettner
Producer:

Susan A. Stover, Robert H. Nathan
Writer:

Patrick Stettner
Release Date (Theaters):

Dec 7, 2001 wide
Release Date (Streaming):

Jan 19, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA):

$1.0M
Runtime:

1h 24m
Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio:

Flat (1.85:1)

Cast & Crew

Stockard Channing
Julie Styron

Julia Stiles
Paula Murphy

Frederick Weller
Nick Harris

Mary Testa
Receptionist

Jack Hallett
Mr. Fostwick

Marcus Giamatti
Robert

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for The Business of Strangers

All Critics (94) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (76) | Rotten (18)

In that millisecond glower is all the fear, frustration, pent-up emotion, aggression and pure unadulterated self-loathing imaginable and it says volumes about where Strangers is heading.

June 19, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
Quote not available.

May 2, 2003 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Empire Magazine
Quote not available.

March 10, 2003 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Marrit Ingman
Austin Chronicle
The inspired pairing of Channing and Stiles creates real dramatic fireworks.

April 15, 2002 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Neil Smith
BBC.com
May be a hermetically sealed experience, but it is also a brilliantly integrated one.

January 18, 2002 | Full Review…

Geoff Pevere
Toronto Star
The core pleasure of the film is the complex and precise performance by the underrated talent Channing.

January 18, 2002 | Rating: 3/4

Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
A tense chamber-piece.

February 25, 2020 | Full Review…

B. Ruby Rich
The Nation
[A]n uncomfortably suspenseful tale - [cast] with two immensely capable and powerful actresses - of a game of power and control played between two women in a realm film only too rarely lets women roam in: the political swamp of the corporate world.

November 19, 2008 | Full Review…

MaryAnn Johanson
Flick Filosopher
Quote not available.

August 7, 2008 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
An uneven satire of the corporate world, Stettner's movie is inspired by LaBute's superior In the Company of Men, changing the gender of the protags into female execs on the opposite side of the spectrum.

May 10, 2006 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Channing gives a marvelously chilling performance.

January 9, 2006 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Quote not available.

December 6, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Film Threat

View All Critic Reviews (94)

Audience Reviews for The Business of Strangers

Mar 31, 2012

Business of Strangers is yet another smart, if not strange, indie drama from IFC. The dynamic between the two lead actresses, Julia Stiles and Stockard Channing, is engrossing, and helps make the film a powerful and effective character study. The script is strong, and features a number of very interesting dialogue exchanges. I would have liked the running time to be a bit longer, and perhaps give so more insight into Julia Stiles' character. As such, the ending didn't quite work for me. The motivations and supposed apparent vulnerabilities she had earlier in the film seem undermined by an ending that suggests a much different, probably sociopathic, person. So in that respect, the film can be thought of as a bit uneven. Still, predominately effective and always interesting. 3.5/5 stars

Jeffrey M Super Reviewer
May 19, 2010

What was the point of it all???

Brody M Super Reviewer
Mar 14, 2009

A simple stories about strangers who click and seek to get revenge on a man.

Sunil J Super Reviewer
Jan 21, 2008

Slight, but interesting. Julia Stiles plays troubled very well!

Nicki M Super Reviewer