History Film / TheNegotiator

-->''"When your friends betray you, sometimes the only people you can trust are strangers."''

''The Negotiator'' is a 1998 film starring Creator/SamuelLJackson as Danny Roman, a Chicago hostage negotiator framed for the murder of his partner, Nate. Nate was murdered when he uncovered serious corruption within their unit. Not knowing who he can trust, Danny turns to taking hostages to find the truth about Nate's murder. Unable to trust his friends, he calls upon a stranger, and fellow negotiator, Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) to prove his innocence.

* TheWindyCity

The film was directed by Felix Gary Gray, previously known for ''Film/{{Friday}}'' (1995) and ''Set It Off'' (1996). It was not a box office hit, earning about 44,547,681 dollars in the United States market. It was only the 47th most successful film of its years. However, it gained mostly positive reviews and earned both Gray and Jackson a number of awards.

* LivingLieDetector: Danny gives an IAB officer he's trying to interrogate a crash course in how "real cops" pick apart liars.

''The Negotiator'' is a 1998 film starring SamuelLJackson as Danny Roman, a Chicago hostage negotiator framed for the murder of his partner, Nate. Nate was murdered when he uncovered serious corruption within their unit. Not knowing who he can trust, Danny turns to taking hostages to find the truth about Nate's murder. Unable to trust his friends, he calls upon a stranger, and fellow negotiator, Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) to prove his innocence.

* NoIndoorVoice: It is a movie with [[SamuelLJackson Sam Jackson]], so we get some more screaming gems such as:

* RedHerring: The squad leader seems like an easy pick for the person who is setting up Danny; he is a hardass, no-bull character who wants to immediately take out Roman with a tactical squad, and is played by David Morse, who has made a living playing villainous roles. [[spoiler: But he's not. He's only trying to take down Roman because he believes he's the culprit, and he not only arrests the true villain, but also keeps him from committing suicide to escape his fate.]]

* TheReveal: [[Spoiler: Danny never killed the cop.]]

* ShootTheHostage: [[spoiler: Though Danny's not a human shield, Sabian shoots him in front of the villain, then says he wants in on the villain's cut. This was the plan to goad the villain into an EngineeredPublicConfession.]]
** A more literal interpretation of the Trope title happens [[spoiler: when the conspirators silence Niebaum]].

* FaceHeelTurn: Subverted when [[spoiler: Chris Sabian pretends to kill Danny Roman for a cut in the villains' profits.

* FaceHeelTurn: Cunningly subverted when [[spoiler: Chris Sabian pretends to kill Danny Roman for a cut in the villains' profits. In most cases, the audience wouldn't believe it for a second, but since the character is played by '''[[Film/TheUsualSuspects Kevin Spacey]]''' ,]] it's entirely plausible!
* HeroAntagonist: Primarily Sabian who is virtually the {{Deuteragonist}} of the film, but really the entire team trying to take Roman down qualify because they really do believe that he's a DirtyCop who murdered his own partner. Well... [[spoiler: aside from the ones who framed him for it, of course.]]

* ButtMonkey: Farley basically exists for no other reason than to get utterly humiliated by Danny. It's a [=CMoF=], though.
* ClearMyName

* AirVentPassageway: The SWAT team uses small vents for running fiber-optic cameras and larger vents for team members. When the title character barricades himself into an office, one of the precautions he takes is to close off the vents as best he can with available materials.
** Later played straight in his attempt to escape the office building.

!!Provides examples of:

* JurisdictionFriction: between the FBI and Chicago PD, as the building is a federal one and the FBI allow them jurisdiction [[spoiler: until their screw ups compel them to take over the situation.]]

* MoralEventHorizon: Played with in-universe. [[spoiler:Danny wants everyone to ''think'' he's shot one of the officers who attempted the first raid, thus demonstrating that he is to be taken seriously. But eventually reveals it was staged.]]

* HeroAntagonist: Primarily Sabian who is virtually the {{Deuteragonist}} of the film, but really the entire team trying to take Roman down qualify because they really do believe that he's a DirtyCop who murdered his own partner. Well... [[spoiler: aside from the one who framed him for it, of course.]]

* HeroAntagonist: Primarily Sabian who is virtually the {{Deuteragonist}} of the film, but really the entire team trying to take Roman down qualify because they really do believe that he's a DirtyCop who murdered his own partner. Well... [[spoiler: asode from the one who framed him for it, of course.]]