The Long Kiss Goodnight

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2:26

The Long Kiss Goodnight

R

1996

2h 1m

Action

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

61 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Schoolteacher and single mother Samantha Caine (Geena Davis) lives an average suburban life -- until she begins having strange memories of unexplained violence and discovers that she has physical skills that she never imagined. Hiring private detective Mitch Hennessey (Samuel L. Jackson) to probe into her past, Samantha discovers that she's a well-trained government assassin who went missing after suffering a bout of amnesia and that her former handlers want her back in their employ.

Critics Consensus

Smart, sharp-witted, and fueled by enjoyably over-the-top action, The Long Kiss Goodnight makes up in impact what it lacks in consistent aim.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

10/25/2011

Frankly, if I had to see either Harlin-Davis movie again, I'd opt for the klutzy unpleasantness of Cutthroat Island over the efficient if equally stupid unpleasantness of this 1996 release.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

02/16/2011

The Long Kiss Goodnight is the fall's best summer movie.

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Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

02/16/2011

Like the heroine, the movie has two personalities that smartly coexist.

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Frank J. Avella

The Contending

03/25/2025

B

...what makes the film soar—and it does, often—are the performances led by an absolutely commanding Davis. Jackson is no slouch either. This is one of his best turns.

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

01/17/2025

5/10

This is almost a poster child for mediocre mid-90s action cinema.

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Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

12/04/2024

Just a year after Davis teamed up with director, and then husband, Renny Harlin on the box office flop Cutthroat Island, the two returned with another overegged and overlong action thriller.

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Nicholas

Jan 14

One of the best action movies

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Yuri B.

@RyuBlack May 10

Sam Jackson & Geena David are perfect together. They're chemistry made the whole film absolutely perfect.

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Dawn R

@Dawn56 Mar 16

Alot of action in this. A Strong, Smart, Resilient female lead. Unfortunately Gena Davis doesn't fulfill that standard. Should of picked someone else who looked the part.

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Emiliano F

@DrAlanGrant Dec 28

A Christmas classic!

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MiStEr 1

@RT81482373 Dec 1

A fun ride if you like 90's action films. Samuel L. Jackson was great in it and Geena Davis as always is hotter than hell as Charlie. Renny Harlin does is magic of blowing sh*t up real good and of course it's a Shane Black script so it has to take place during Christmas. 4/5

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Justin W

@RT37619642 Nov 12

Absolute action classic. So many movies ripped this off aftwards, but none of them do it as good as The Long Kiss Goodnight. Gena Davis and Sam Jackson have such good chemistry, and Gena is an absolute fox in this movie. There were so many great movies and not to mention music in the 90s.

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Renny Harlin

Director

Geena Davis

Samantha Caine; Charly Baltimore

Samuel L. Jackson

Mitch Henessey

Patrick Malahide

Leland Perkins

Craig Bierko

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Dr. Nathan Waldman

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The Long Kiss Goodnight: Trailer 1

2:26

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Synopsis

Schoolteacher and single mother Samantha Caine (Geena Davis) lives an average suburban life -- until she begins having strange memories of unexplained violence and discovers that she has physical skills that she never imagined. Hiring private detective Mitch Hennessey (Samuel L. Jackson) to probe into her past, Samantha discovers that she's a well-trained government assassin who went missing after suffering a bout of amnesia and that her former handlers want her back in their employ.

Director: Renny Harlin
Producer: Renny Harlin, Stephanie Austin, Shane Black
Screenwriter: Shane Black
Production Co: New Line Cinema, Forge
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 21, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $33.4M
Runtime: 2h 1m
Sound Mix: Surround