Synopsis

A withdrawn Philadelphia child psychologist begins treating Cole Sear, a troubled boy who claims he can see and speak with the dead. As the two gradually build trust, the psychologist helps Cole understand and manage his frightening ability. Their work forces both of them to confront painful secrets, unresolved grief, and the possibility that Cole's visions may serve a deeper purpose.

Factoids & Trivia

• The screenplay was purchased by Disney executive David Vogel without full corporate approval. Disney later sold the production rights to Spyglass Entertainment while retaining distribution rights and a percentage of the box-office revenue.

• Filming took place largely in Philadelphia, which also serves as the movie's setting and was the filmmaker's hometown.

• The movie was filmed in sequence, an unusual approach that helped the performers follow the characters' emotional development.

• Toni Collette later said that the emotional nature of the material had been so absorbing that she did not fully think of the project as a horror film while making it.

• The close-up reaction during the "I see dead people" scene worried producer Frank Marshall because it might reveal the film's major secret. Test audiences apparently did not pick up on the clue.

• Released in the United States on August 6, 1999, the film became a major word-of-mouth success, earning more than $672 million worldwide and ranking as the second-highest-grossing movie of 1999.

• The film received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.