Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    EmmysSuperheroes GuideSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideBest Of 2025 So FarDisability Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
8 suggestions available
Watchlist
Sign in
Sign in
New customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Case 39

  • 2009
  • R
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
97K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,205
984
Case 39 (2009)
A social worker (Zellweger) fights to save a girl from her abusive parents, only to discover that the situation is more dangerous than she ever expected.
Play trailer2:33
9 Videos
95 Photos
Supernatural HorrorHorrorMysteryThriller

A social worker fights to save a girl from her abusive parents, only to discover that the situation is more dangerous than she expected.A social worker fights to save a girl from her abusive parents, only to discover that the situation is more dangerous than she expected.A social worker fights to save a girl from her abusive parents, only to discover that the situation is more dangerous than she expected.

  • Director
    • Christian Alvart
  • Writer
    • Ray Wright
  • Stars
    • Renée Zellweger
    • Ian McShane
    • Jodelle Ferland
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    97K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,205
    984
    • Director
      • Christian Alvart
    • Writer
      • Ray Wright
    • Stars
      • Renée Zellweger
      • Ian McShane
      • Jodelle Ferland
    • 319User reviews
    • 103Critic reviews
    • 25Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations total

    Videos9

    Case 39
    Trailer 2:33
    Case 39
    Le cas 39
    Trailer 2:19
    Le cas 39
    Le cas 39
    Trailer 2:19
    Le cas 39
    Case 39: International Trailer
    Trailer 2:21
    Case 39: International Trailer
    "Mrs. Sullivan"
    Clip 0:38
    "Mrs. Sullivan"
    Case 39: Closet
    Clip 0:52
    Case 39: Closet
    Case 39: Underwater
    Clip 0:34
    Case 39: Underwater

    Photos95

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 89
    View Poster

    Top cast59

    Edit
    Renée Zellweger
    Renée Zellweger
    • Emily Jenkins
    Ian McShane
    Ian McShane
    • Detective Barron
    Jodelle Ferland
    Jodelle Ferland
    • Lilith Sullivan
    Bradley Cooper
    Bradley Cooper
    • Doug
    Callum Keith Rennie
    Callum Keith Rennie
    • Edward Sullivan
    Adrian Lester
    Adrian Lester
    • Wayne
    Kerry O'Malley
    Kerry O'Malley
    • Margaret Sullivan
    Cynthia Stevenson
    Cynthia Stevenson
    • Nancy
    Alexander Conti
    Alexander Conti
    • Diego
    Philip Cabrita
    • Javier
    Vanesa Tomasino
    Vanesa Tomasino
    • Javier's Wife
    Mary Black
    Mary Black
    • Custody Judge
    Domenico D'Ambrosio
    • Plainclothes Cop
    Benita Ha
    Benita Ha
    • Therapist
    J. Winston Carroll
    • Judge
    • (as John Carroll)
    Michael Bean
    • Co-Worker
    Lesley Ewen
    Lesley Ewen
    • Co-Worker
    David Patrick Green
    David Patrick Green
    • Chief Psychiatrist
    • Director
      • Christian Alvart
    • Writer
      • Ray Wright
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews319

    6.296.7K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7Glen_Quagmire

    Actually pretty good.

    I checked this movie out after watching a trailer online and I gotta say, it delivered. It was a nice little surprise for this major horror fan. It didn't rely on the "jump scare" which so many horror movies depend on lately, although it had a few. It created a very creepy atmosphere that stayed til the very end. Given, this movie could've supported better acting (I'm looking at you, Renee) and directing but if you're looking to be entertained and a little creeped out for 90 minutes then check it out. It runs in the tradition of movies like "The Reaping" and "Orphan" where the child in the movie makes you feel a little uneasy the entire time. Defiitely one of the better straight to DVD movies in awhile. If you are a horror fan then this movie should put an evil lil grin on your bloody face. However, if you stray more towards romcoms and drama then go rent Love Actually or some other random terrible movie.
    6bkoganbing

    Evil Talosian

    The person that social worker Renee Zellweger is investigating in Case 39 is Jodelle Ferland an innocent little girl seemingly who seems to be crying out for intervention. The humanitarian instincts of Zellweger necessary for her occupation are aroused and she and cop Ian McShane go to the house just in time to rescue the little girl from her parents, Callum Keith Rennie and Kerry McCallum from roasting her in their oven, the kind of horrific crime that every now and then you see splashed across your evening news.

    Zellweger breaks the usual bounds of professional distance when she takes it on herself to take in the child. Once she does the little girl proves not quite what she originally seems and literally sucks the humanitarianism out of her.

    This will go completely over the people who are not Star Trek fans, but young Ms. Ferland reminded me so much of an evil Talosian. If you will recall in that famous pilot for Star Trek, the Talosians are blessed with the power of illusion, they can make you see and hear all kinds of things that are not there. With that they can trick you into stuff. There not evil people however, but Captain Christopher Pike when he's captured by them has to learn their secret in order to triumph.

    That's what Renee has to do, overcome the power of illusion. How it all works out for her is what you have to see Case 39 for.

    As for the film itself, Case 39 is a cut above a lot of these horror films, but it could have used considerable improvement in the storytelling.
    7bob-rutzel-1

    Not Scary, but you will jump some

    Social Worker Emily (Zellweger) takes in 10-yr old Lillith (Ferland) whose parents tried to kill her.

    Things kind of get wrapped up within the first 15-minutes and what else is there to do you ask yourself. Well, things aren't quite what they seem and by now, you will have figured it all out. But, again, it's in the telling that makes this a good movie and you stay with it.

    This is billed as a horror movie and you know I don't review horror movies (hey, I have to sleep at night). Okay, so I took a chance. See? The acting is first rate by all and the pace is very good. There is a certain amount of tension and suspense and you won't sleep here.

    Now, although you have figured things out, you have not figured out how this ends or should end, or will end …..whatever. That occupies your mind quite a bit. And, along the way, you find yourself jumping at certain things. Not really horror though, but could have been.

    Renee Zellweger really got into her character to such a point I was mimicking her moves at times. I felt as though I was there. You'll see.

    Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Yes, but only one or two F-bombs
    6micz81

    With pizza and beer - quite tasty.

    It's a decent movie. I liked very much some cinematographic concepts cleverly used here to build solid tension, and mystery effect. We are used to very straight way of telling very straight stories, but sometimes it's good to move the camera off the basics a little (even if the story isn't very original), just to tell something more by the picture, than only what the picture depicts. Mr Bogdanski (DP) and Mr Alvart (DIR) have used some of those "tricks" carefully and wisely, gaining few disturbing shots which actually describe the feel of the whole movie. The story is simple, predictable, and has the "yep, I've seen this before" factor, but THOSE few (yes, only few) weird shots puts this movie slightly above the average. And there are Callum Keith Rennie, Kerry O'Malley and Ian McShane who work in the same business here with DP and Director - giving very intense and disturbing appearances in supporting, yet the movie tone establishing roles (especially Rennie not being too demonic). I'm glad that screenplay had provided them few very good sequences to play in.

    But let's be frank - that's not enough to break the limits. We have to remember some major flaws: First - the movie is very predictable. Very. Second - Jodelle Ferland plays in a simple, cheap way, using far away easier acting methods, than her character needs. Third - a promise of originality made by DP and Director in the first part of the movie, is never kept because of the second half, where everything is put in WYSIWYG manner, known from shitty Hollywood.

    Summing all up - You CAN watch it with a pizza and a beer, but hardly believable that you WILL manage without those. :)
    6ma-cortes

    Scary and creepy terror movie with unsettling images and fine realization

    A social worker named Emily Jenkins (Renee Zellweger) fights to save a girl named Lilith Sullivan (Jodelle Ferland) from her abusive parents (Callum Keith Rennie , Kerry O'Malley) . When Emily meet the nine-year-old girl, she immediately fall in love with the well-educated daughter and then she decides to adopt the child only to aware that the situation is more dangerous than she ever expected . Eventually, Emily begins to feel that Lilith is manipulative and possibly even psychologically disturbed . Later on , Emily learns Lilith has a troubled and mysterious history. Jenkins helped by Det. Mike Barron (Ian McShane) delves further into Lilith's past and discovers she is not at all who she pretends to be.

    This is an entertaining terror movie where the intrigue,tension, suspense appear threatening and lurking in every room, corridors , elevator and interior and exterior. Remarkably well-acted, darkly paced , and effectively disturbing .This frightening movie is plenty of thrills, scary fun, chills, body-count and nice use of color with phenomenal results . It's brilliantly cast - Renee Zellwegger and Bradley Cooper- are top-notch as usual, but what really stood out where the natural performances director Christian Alvert (who subsequently would direct another good terror film with surprising style as ¨Pandorum) was able to get from the child actor-Ferland- .

    Dark, edgy, twisted, effective, clever, intense, one of the best "evil child" films I've ever seen along with ¨The orphan¨(2008) by Jaume Collet Serra .It is a well-acted and slow-building suspense story with slick direction and cinematography. The creepy score also serves the film well, without becoming overpowering in signaling this is an " eerie" film. The actress who plays Lilith shows a skill in performance that makes one think we may actually have another Jodie Foster to keep an eye on. Compelling directed with startling visual content by Christian Alvart (Pandorum , Antibodies , Curiosity: the cat) . This genuinely mysterious story is well made and is one of the best ¨evil kid¨ movie with effective aesthetic and sense of style . Rating : 6,5 acceptable ; this unsettling picture will appeal to Renee Zelleweger fans and horror genre buffs .

    More like this

    The Uninvited
    6.3
    The Uninvited
    The Exorcism of Emily Rose
    6.7
    The Exorcism of Emily Rose
    The Skeleton Key
    6.5
    The Skeleton Key
    Mama
    6.2
    Mama
    Copycat
    6.6
    Copycat
    Dead Silence
    6.1
    Dead Silence
    Devil
    6.3
    Devil
    Mirrors
    6.1
    Mirrors
    Gothika
    5.8
    Gothika
    Silent Hill
    6.5
    Silent Hill
    Drag Me to Hell
    6.6
    Drag Me to Hell
    Filed Under 'Evil': Inside Case 39
    5.4
    Filed Under 'Evil': Inside Case 39

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This movie was completed in 2007, and was initially scheduled for an American release in August 2008, but was delayed twice before its final release date on October 1, 2010, three years after completing production.
    • Goofs
      (at around 31 mins) When the cop lets Emily into the house, he hands her the key and tells her to lock up when she leaves; but the door frame is still visibly broken from being kicked in earlier, leaving the door obviously impossible to lock.
    • Quotes

      Douglas J. Ames: Everybody has fears... now, what scares you?

      Lillith Sullivan: Me.

      Douglas J. Ames: You scare yourself?

      Lillith Sullivan: Sometimes.

      Douglas J. Ames: Why? What about yourself scares you?

      Lillith Sullivan: I have bad thoughts.

      Douglas J. Ames: About what?

      Lillith Sullivan: People.

      Douglas J. Ames: People in general or... certain people?

      Lillith Sullivan: Certain people.

      Douglas J. Ames: Like who?

      Lillith Sullivan: You.

      Douglas J. Ames: You have bad thoughts about me? Why?

      Lillith Sullivan: I just do.

      Douglas J. Ames: Did I do something or say something that upset you?

      Lillith Sullivan: It's just... the way you are.

      Douglas J. Ames: How am I?

      Lillith Sullivan: Facile.

      Douglas J. Ames: Facile? Pfff... do you even know what that means?

      Lillith Sullivan: Easily comprehended, often lacking sincerity or depth. You're smug too... want me to tell you what that means?

      Douglas J. Ames: Uhm, If I... seem smug or facile, I want...

      Lillith Sullivan: Don't apologize.

      Douglas J. Ames: Why not?

      Lillith Sullivan: You're a grown-up... it's embarrassing.

    • Connections
      Featured in Phelous & the Movies: Phelous Is on Case 39 (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Like Dat
      Written by Stat Quo (as Stanley Benton), Gerald Griffin & Lt. Mo (as Todd Moore)

      Performed by Stat Quo

      Courtesy of Interscope Records

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ27

    • How long is Case 39?Powered by Alexa
    • What is "Case 39" about?
    • Is 'Case 39' based on a book?
    • Why did Lily keep falling asleep during class?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 1, 2010 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • MySpace
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Caso 39
    • Filming locations
      • Portland, Oregon, USA(flyover shots)
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Vantage
      • Misher Films
      • Anonymous Content
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $26,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $13,261,851
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,350,570
      • Oct 3, 2010
    • Gross worldwide
      • $28,190,603
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Case 39 (2009)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of Case 39 (2009) in France?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Production art
    Photos
    Hollywood Power Couples
    See the gallery
    Production art
    Photos
    Before They Were Famous: Actors' Early Roles
    See the gallery
    Production art
    Photos
    Disability Community Stars to Watch
    See the gallery

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.