The Sixth Sense is a 1999 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It stars Bruce Willis as a child psychologist whose patient (Haley Joel Osment) claims he can see and talk to the dead. Released by Buena Vista Pictures (through its Hollywood Pictures label) on August 6, 1999, critics praised its performances (particularly those of Willis, Osment, and Toni Collette), atmosphere, direction and twist ending. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Shyamalan, Best Supporting Actor for Osment, and Best Supporting Actress for Collette. The film established Shyamalan as a predominant thriller screenwriter/director and introduced the cinema public to his traits, most notably his affinity for surprise endings. It was the second-highest-grossing film of 1999, taking about $293 million in the US and $379 million in other markets. Plot Philadelphia-based child psychologist Malcolm Crowe returns home with his wife, Anna, after having been honored for his work. Vincent Grey, a former patient Malcolm had treated for hallucinations, breaks into their house and accuses Malcolm of failing him before shooting Malcolm and then himself. Months later, Malcolm begins working with Cole Sear, a 9-year-old boy who reminds him of Vincent. He feels he must help Cole to rectify his failure to help Vincent and reconcile with Anna, who has become distant and cold. Cole's mother, Lynn, worries about his social skills, especially after seeing signs of physical harm. At a birthday party, Cole is cornered by bullies who lock him in a cupboard, causing him to scream in terror before passing out. Following this incident, Cole finally confides to Malcolm that he sees ghosts walking around like the living, but they only see what they want to see and are unaware that they are dead. Malcolm thinks Cole is delusional and considers dropping his case, but after listening to an audiotape from a session with Vincent, he hears a man tearfully begging for help in Spanish and realizes that the ghosts Cole sees are real. He suggests that Cole try to communicate with the ghosts and help them finish their business, to which Cole hesitantly agrees. Cole awakens one night to discover a ghost girl vomiting. He finds out who she is and goes with Malcolm to the funeral reception at her home. Cole sneaks into the girl's room, where she crawls out from under her