Witness Protection

1999 "When the mob wants you dead there's only one place to hide..."

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Witness Protection

6.2 | 1h45m | en | Drama

Would you be willing to walk away from everyone and everything you've ever known in exchange for your safety? This is the question facing career criminal Bobby "Bats" Batton (Tom Sizemore); on the outs with the mob and facing prosecution for a number of serious crimes, Batton is offered a deal by the FBI in which he will be given immunity in exchange for testifying against his former partners. However, Batton will have to join the Federal Witness Protection Program, which means that he, his wife, and his children will never again see their friends and family.

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6.2 | 1h45m | en | More Info

Released: December. 11,1999 | Released Producted By: HBO Films , TurtleBack Productions Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:

info

Genre

Drama , Crime , TV Movie

Watch Online

Witness Protection (1999) is now streaming with subscription on HBO Max

Cast

Forest Whitaker , Tom Sizemore , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , Shawn Hatosy , Skye McCole Bartusiak , William Sadler

Director

James F. Truesdale

Producted By

HBO Films

Witness Protection Videos and Images

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Top Credited Cast
|
Crew

Forest Whitaker

as Steven Beck

Havoc King of Kings The King of Kings Seaweed Stories Emperor of Ocean Park Big George Foreman to Crinkle their Wrist, Perfumed Splendour Prophets of Change Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy

Tom Sizemore

as Bobby Batton

Wrongful Death 2: Bloodlines Someone Dies Tonight T Bird The Legend of Johnny Jones American Trash Terror of the Soul Baba Yaga: Assassins Revenge Once Upon a Time in Hollyweird 'Saving Private Ryan': Boot Camp Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

as Cindy Batton

Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes Alan Pakula: Going for Truth Limitless The Russell Girl The Brooke Ellison Story Stories of Lost Souls Tabloid The Perfect Storm Witness Protection Limbo

Shawn Hatosy

as Sean Batton

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come Unstoppable Mosquito The Bygone Mountain Rest Animal Kingdom Reckless Street Kings 2: Motor City Public Enemies Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Skye McCole Bartusiak

as Suzie Batton

Sick Boy Good Day for It Wild About Harry A Fix Love's Abiding Joy Pineapple Kill Your Darlings Boogeyman Against the Ropes Love Comes Softly

William Sadler

as Sharp

The Yeti The Evolution of Horror Cinema Worldwide Salem's Lot A Stage of Twilight She Came from the Woods The Unholy Alice Fades Away Bill & Ted Face the Music The Grudge VFW

James F. Truesdale

Art Direction

Andrew Menzies

Assistant Art Director

Patrizia von Brandenstein

Production Design

Cloudia Rebar

Set Decoration

Fred Murphy

Director of Photography

Hope Hanafin

Costume Design

James Camomile

Special Effects Technician

Charles Croughwell

Stunt Coordinator

Chris Palermo

Stunts

Richard Pearce

Director

Drew Ann Rosenberg

First Assistant Director

Lisa Fruchtman

Editor

John Brace

Casting

Linda Lowy

Casting

Sue Jett

Co-Producer

Tony Mark

Co-Producer

Henry S. Schleiff

Executive Producer

Howard Meltzer

Producer

Cliff Eidelman

Original Music Composer

Robert Sabbag

Story

Witness Protection Audience Reviews

Interesteg What makes it different from others?

GurlyIamBeach Instant Favorite.

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Yash Wade Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

lord woodburry Meet the Battons, living comfortably in an upper middle class lifestyle in suburban Boston. The truth is Bobby Batton (Tom Sizemore) is a mobster. Unbeknownst to him, Batton's boss has decided to terminate Bobby. Batton is tipped to the plot against him when he foils a kidnap attempt on Batton's daughter Suzie. His only way out is Witness Protection and a new identity. We see the pressure cooker turned up when Bratton and his family confronts the limitations of the work-a-day world and have to learn their cover stories. Bob Batton is particularly peeved that he must get a job. He holds the working class in especial contempt.Forest Whitaker plays Steve Beck the FBI coach with great aplumb when he must tell Batton how to get a job. Why do you care? Batton exasperated with Beck's tenacity asks . Because it's my job, comes the smug reply.Cindy Batton is played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Agent Beck tells her she's worth maybe $35 G on the labor market if she finishes her paralegal degree and returns to work in a law firm. How are we going to live on that?I won't agree that Witness Protection really does all that this US government propaganda movie says it does to trap real criminals. I do find the concept of adjusting to a completely new life interesting.

Steve Skafte There's inherent limitations built into most TV movies. They tend to feel just a little closed in, without a lot of focus on cinematography. "Witness Protection" has the sense of being (literally) in a locked room. It provides an opportunity to focus almost completely on the actors and their performances. And there's some great performances, too. The three leads (Sizemore, Mastrantonio, Whitaker) get deep under the skin of their characters. The interaction between Sizemore and Mastrantonio, especially, reaches a level of tenderness and darkness that's totally unanticipated.This film works well to director Richard Pearce's ability with actors, but doesn't provide him much in the way of visual opportunity like some of his stunning feature films (Threshold, Country, The Long Walk Home, A Family Thing). But, although "Witness Protection" sounds uninteresting and doesn't look much better, it is a numbing, dramatic punch to the face. There's a ton of depth to the writing here, brought to full bear by the actors. The only off-key note was with young Skye McCole Bartusiak, who is sometimes forced to express levels of emotion that she's not completely capable of getting across. Watch this film, though. You just might get something from it.

Silverzero What should be a documentation on the witness protection programme quickly fizzles into a domestic drama. And not a very good one at that. Performances are average but with no real chemistry between the characters. This stuff isn't released as a big movie for a reason. Mainly because it's not any good. "Witness Protection" is as un-memorable as movies come. 4/10.

guyb-2 This movie was very good. Even though I should have probably known better, I was under the long term illusion that these witness protection people got a free ride for selling out to the government. This movie really gives a dose of reality that is pretty believable. You are torn between thinking "he really deserved it" and empathizing with him and his family and what they are giving up for the protection. I also thought the movie did a good job of showing how they have to find them selves and their family core once again to proceed with their new lives. Great jobs by Forest Whitaker and Mary Elizabeth.