Jacob's Ladder_
"The most frightening thing about Jacob Singer's nightmare is that he isn't dreaming."
After returning home from the Vietnam War, veteran Jacob Singer struggles to maintain his sanity. Plagued by hallucinations and flashbacks, Singer rapidly falls apart as the world and people around him morph and twist into disturbing images. His girlfriend, Jezzie, and ex-wife, Sarah, try to help, but to little avail. Even Singer's chiropractor friend, Louis, fails to reach him as he descends into madness.
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Kanopy
FREE
1 country
Hoopla
FREE
1 country
F
Filmtastic
1 country
Filmin
1 country
S
Shadowz Amazon Channel
1 country
Looke
1 country
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
Jacob's Ladder earned $26.1M worldwide on a $25.0M budget — a 4% return on investment.
Adrian Lyne →
Year context
Jacob's Ladder was released 36 years ago in 1990.
CAST (20)
Tim Robbins
Jacob
Elizabeth Peña
Jezzie
Danny Aiello
Louis
Matt Craven
Michael
Pruitt Taylor Vince
Paul
Jason Alexander
Geary
Patricia Kalember
Sarah
Eriq La Salle
Frank
Ving Rhames
George
Brian Tarantina
Doug
Anthony Alessandro
Rod
Brent Hinkley
Jerry
S. Epatha Merkerson
Elsa
Suzanne Shepherd
Hospital Receptionist
DB
Doug Barron
Group Leader
JS
Jan Saint
Santa
KS
Kisha Skinner
Street Singer
DS
Dion Simmons
Street Singer
Sam Coppola
Taxi Driver
PR
Patty Rosborough
Drunk
CREW
Director
Writer
BOX OFFICE
$25.0M
Budget
$26.1M
Revenue
+4%
ROI
BREAK EVEN
Verdict
STUDIOS (1)
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
113 min (1h 53m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
7.4/10 (1,827 votes)
Popularity
4
Budget
$25,000,000
Box Office
$26,118,851
Profit
+$1,118,851
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Jacob's Ladder about?
After returning home from the Vietnam War, veteran Jacob Singer struggles to maintain his sanity. Plagued by hallucinations and flashbacks, Singer rapidly falls apart as the world and people around him morph and twist into disturbing images. His girlfriend, Jezzie, and ex-wife, Sarah, try to help, but to little avail. Even Singer's chiropractor friend, Louis, fails to reach him as he descends into madness.
How long is Jacob's Ladder?
Jacob's Ladder has a runtime of 113 minutes (1h 53m).
Who directed Jacob's Ladder?
Jacob's Ladder was directed by Adrian Lyne.
Who stars in Jacob's Ladder?
The cast of Jacob's Ladder includes Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña, Danny Aiello, Matt Craven, Pruitt Taylor Vince.
How much did Jacob's Ladder make at the box office?
Jacob's Ladder earned $26,118,851 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $25,000,000.
What is the rating of Jacob's Ladder?
Jacob's Ladder has a rating of 7.4 out of 10 based on 1,827 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (3)
Drama
Mystery
Horror
KEYWORDS (18)
vietnam veteran
new york city
post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)
experiment
nightmare
subway
1970s
paranoia
hallucination
car bomb
grief
memory
chemist
demon
postal worker
figment of imagination
oneiric
chiropractor