6.7
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
Crime, Drama, Thriller, Mystery • 1999 • 117 min • Adults (18+)
Arlington Road (1999)
Arlington Road (1999)
Overview
Arlington Road is a late-90s paranoia thriller about a widowed history professor who grows convinced his new neighbors are domestic terrorists. The premise sounds familiar, but the film earns its unease by refusing to let either side look good: anti-government extremism is treated as genuinely dangerous, and federal institutions come across as blundering and capable of injustice. The Leans Traditional label reflects modest signals rather than heavy ideology. The cast and framing are conventionally centered on a white male protagonist. Family imagery is used ironically, with a picture-perfect household concealing violence. No progressive identity themes appear. The film is a political wash, grounded more in suburban dread than in any clear cultural agenda.
Starring Cast
Jeff Bridges • Tim Robbins • Joan Cusack
Where to watch
Rating & Dimensions
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Leans Traditional
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Family Values: Mixed
Viewer Rating
6.7
Overview
Arlington Road is a late-90s paranoia thriller about a widowed history professor who grows convinced his new neighbors are domestic terrorists. The premise sounds familiar, but the film earns its unease by refusing to let either side look good: anti-government extremism is treated as genuinely dangerous, and federal institutions come across as blundering and capable of injustice. The Leans Traditional label reflects modest signals rather than heavy ideology. The cast and framing are conventionally centered on a white male protagonist. Family imagery is used ironically, with a picture-perfect household concealing violence. No progressive identity themes appear. The film is a political wash, grounded more in suburban dread than in any clear cultural agenda.
Starring Cast
Jeff Bridges • Tim Robbins • Joan Cusack
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Leans Traditional
Primary
Political: Center
Confidence: Medium
The film critiques both the insidious nature of domestic anti-government extremism and the profound incompetence and potential for injustice within government institutions, resulting in a balanced critique of societal and state failures rather than promoting a specific political ideology.
Diversity: Low
Confidence: High
The movie features a predominantly white main cast and supporting characters, reflecting traditional casting choices without explicit race or gender swaps. The narrative focuses on a white male protagonist and white antagonists, with the film's themes centered on terrorism and paranoia rather than critiquing or promoting specific identity groups.
Secondary
Family Values: Mixed
Confidence: High
The film portrays a single-parent family with genuine care and commitment, while a seemingly traditional nuclear family is revealed to be a deceptive facade for sinister activities. This contrast prevents a clear endorsement or critique of either traditional or progressive family norms, resulting in a neutral portrayal.
LGBTQ: N/A
Confidence: High
Arlington Road (1999) does not feature any identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The plot is solely focused on a thriller narrative involving a college professor's suspicions about his neighbors and their potential involvement in a domestic terrorist conspiracy. Therefore, the film has no discernible impact on the portrayal of LGBTQ+ individuals or issues.
Trans: N/A
Confidence: High
Arlington Road does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The narrative centers on a professor's growing suspicion of his new neighbors, who are secretly planning a terrorist attack, and the subsequent psychological thriller elements. Transsexual identity is not depicted or referenced within the film's plot or character arcs.
Female Combat: N/R
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High
Arlington Road is an original screenplay, not an adaptation of pre-existing material or a biopic. All characters were created for this film, meaning there are no prior canonical or historical gender baselines to swap from.
Race Swap: No
Confidence: High
Arlington Road is an original screenplay featuring fictional characters not based on prior source material, historical figures, or previous adaptations. Therefore, no character's race was established before this film's production.
Hinduism: N/A
Confidence: High
Hinduism is not depicted in the film.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
7.2
7.0
Critic Ratings
6.2
6.5
More Like This
Leans Traditional
7.7
The Last of Sheila
(1973)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
LGBTQ: Neutral
Leans Traditional
6.6
Oxygen
(1999)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
7.0
The Pledge
(2001)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
7.0
Farewell, My Lovely
(1975)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
7.2
The Deep End
(2001)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
LGBTQ: Neutral
Leans Traditional
7.0
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt
(2012)
Political: Leans Right
Diversity: Low
Traditional
7.4
Breakdown
(1997)
Political: Leans Right
Diversity: Low
Traditional
7.1
Body Double
(1984)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
LGBTQ: Negative
Leans Traditional
7.9
Pig
(2021)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
8.2
Sleuth
(1972)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Traditional
8.5
Strangers on a Train
(1951)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
LGBTQ: Negative
Leans Traditional
7.1
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
(2002)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Traditional
6.6
The Gauntlet
(1977)
Political: Leans Right
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
7.3
The Game
(1997)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
7.8
The Trial
(1962)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
7.0
Harper
(1966)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
7.1
Inland Empire
(2006)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
8.0
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
(2007)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
6.7
Stillwater
(2021)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
LGBTQ: Neutral
Leans Traditional
6.9
So Soon to Die
(1957)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low