The Business of Strangers (2001)

80% of critics liked it
(91 reviews)
48% of users liked it
(3,494 ratings)

Two women on different ends of the spectrum of corporate power come together with explosive results in this drama. Julie Styron (Stockard Channing) is a successful executive with a major international corporation who is starting to feel the pressure of her position; she has few friends and no family… More Two women on different ends of the spectrum of corporate power come together with explosive results in this drama. Julie Styron (Stockard Channing) is a successful executive with a major international corporation who is starting to feel the pressure of her position; she has few friends and no family to buffer her from the responsibilities of her work, and she suspects that the company's CEO is thinking about replacing her. Trying to get one step ahead, she meets with the slightly manipulative headhunter Nick Harris (Frederick Weller). Julie's anxieties come to a head when she has to give a major out-of-town presentation without the help of her assistant Paula Murphy (Julia Stiles), who failed to show up on time. Furious, Julie gives Paula a severe dressing down before firing her, but then Julie is called into a meeting with Nick in which she gets some unexpected news -- she's going to be taking over his job. Eager to celebrate, Julie runs into Paula, and tries to apologize for their earlier encounter by offering her a hotel room for the night and a few drinks. In time, Nick also turns up at the hotel and the women - upon running into him - realize that he is a mutual acquaintance. Later, Paula shares a secret with Julie -- Nick raped one of her friends while they were in college, and since then Paula has pondered taking revenge against him. Julie is eventually drawn into Paula's plan when they encounter Nick later that evening. But there may be more to Paula than meets the eye. The Business of Strangers was the first feature from writer and director Patrick Stettner; the film was shown in competition at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 24 min.
Directed By: Patrick Stettner
Written By: Patrick Stettner
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Dec 7, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Aug 6, 2002
Studio: IFC Films

Critic Reviews

Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
May be a hermetically sealed experience, but it is also a brilliantly integrated one.
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
The core pleasure of the film is the complex and precise performance by the underrated talent Channing.
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel
This is an impressive debut for Stettner and an even more impressive showcase for Channing and Stiles.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
It has almost nothing to do with women; it's about men's fantasies of women.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
[Channing] tears into the part as if it were a raw slab of meat.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Boasts barbed-wire performances from both actresses.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
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.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Channing gives a marvelously chilling performance.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
What The Business of Strangers really boils down to is a couple of good performances and some really interesting dialogue.
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
If The Business of Strangers clunks as a whole, at least several of its parts offer momentary pleasures.
Tom Grealis, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
'The Business of Strangers' partners one of Hollywood's most under-rated older actresses with arguably one of its most over-rated younger ones.
Rich Cline, Film Threat
This is a stunning examination of issues of doubt and control, as well as a cracking good little thriller.

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Leigh R

Ohhh... like it... kinda creepy.
Ken S

Strong performances but mostly predictable
Jeffrey M

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… More
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
Sunil J

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