Reviews

This movie is quietly shocking from the very beginning. It has an important story to tell and it rises up to the task. However it does not rely on anything graphic but rather lets the observer follow the story without being thrown into the virtual reality of it. The viewer fills in the blank in the most terrible parts and this technique cleverly arouses the viewer's own conscience and observance of how much the viewer already knows and understands what goes on in the world. Therefore I think this movie not so much informs people of what is going on, but rouses the gall of indignation within the viewer towards something one is used to brush away or ignore.

As a horror movie this is a story told in an expert way that gives satisfaction as it progresses. When it ends, echoes of it rise to reveal a sharp and timely political allegory. A movie within a movie. It is a lesson, but an exceedingly entertaining one. I loved the feeling of what could happen next? Which came from sensing that we were in the hands of brilliant, original storytelling. It makes you yell at the tv, at the characters, but also reflect on yourself and society at the moment in America, for which this movie is like a bucket of much needed cold water. Sadly, I know it will pass largely unseen.

My feeling was "about time" you see movie that skewers the smug, virtue signaling hollywood left and their flood of terrible "message" movies. The movie and the points are totally political. I don't get the reviews that minimize that. Are they watching the same movie? This is good political satire by people with their feet on the ground, not the paid talking heads of late night talk shows.

This was a nice surprise. I love the dialogue. It was very specific and unsweetened. You can make anything believable in the movies if you do a good job of telling the story and this movie did a great job. Absolutely loved all the fantastic actors and recognizable faces, not headliners, but awesome actors that have honed their craf to the max and can bring a 15 second scene to big life.

At this point I will see anything this team makes and will wait patiently to be led to challenging conclusions. This movie hurts to watch, as a woman, but it is so subtle and so powerful and so necessary that movies like this get made.

A very determined movie that knows where it's going and has precise scenes that give the viewer satisfaction. I wanted more of this character and story, like, five sequels. It takes very skilled hands to pull this type of vibe off.

I did not know what or who to cling to shortly after this movie started. It's a roller coaster of a dark ride into the pained soul of humanity. It takes a very common situation and explores dimensions that make you cringe and scream inside. Excellent acting for everyone including the youths.

I liked this kind of odd movie. Personally I don't need a formula to enjoy a movie and this was definitely off formula. I enjoyed the role play and the accessible approach to some aspects of philosophy. The fact that it was in an expat school abroad added a surprising and delightful flavor. It made me think and try to figure out things during and afterwards.

This is the right movie for these times. It not only has topics that are hugely relevant during the public health emergency we are living in, but manages interesting twists and explorations of the human soul. I love the acting and the characters and the intelligent flow of the story. Absolutely loved the prayer.

This was a surprise in how it unfolded. I was kind of expecting something very standard but got taken for a wild ride. There are some scenes that make you gasp and the atmosphere is quite creepy. Corbin Bernsen acts really well. He is just so creepy in every response and believes every line. I think he is superb and truly underrated. And Oksana is a pleasant surprise, you really feel her emotions as a dignified person in an incresingly terrible situation. All the supporting cast was very good as well.

I saw a tiny trailer and thought, well this is going to be somewhat entertaining with a novel idea that gets tired and goes nowhere after 10 minutes but may be worth a shot anyway. What a pleasant surprise to be held in the grips of this story from the first seconds to the last! I enjoyed the philosophical challenge and the thriller aspect and clever conversation. Very good acting, intense and wonderful.

Very enjoyable and engaging. The acting is flawless and it doesn't hurt that the protagonists are easy on the eyes. The scenes are rich in details and well paced. All kinds of tensions flow through and the movie induces you to feel for various characters. Local color is expertly sprinkled in and is its own force in the story. It's very smart in how it blends cotidian anxieties in the course of life and life's projects with unexpected volcanos of emotion and the terrifying roller coaster ride of it all.

This is one of those rare movies where the scenes are cleverly written and mean something, not just space filler. It does not waste your time and I really appreciate that. The two lead actors are each very good and perfectly cast for their characters. You frequently ask yourself, how would I react, how would I respond, am I like that and other questions. It's rare to see complex, unsettling, destructive high intelligence portrayed well on the screen. It felt exciting to watch.

I found this easy to dive into and become addicted to. There are soulful details here and there, a piece of acting, a reply that add depth to the storytelling without adding weight. It moves along sprightly and makes sense psychologically, historically and even in the context of today, politically. The intimate players of the Russian court are shown in a swath of their lives which included periods of boredom, sadness, ambition, fear, powerlessness and also enormous power.

The subject matter is handled honestly, at times delicately and at times brutally honest. I don't remember seeing another movie that portrays the daily life of a mother of an impaired child this way, with such candor. It really shows the stage beyond just suffering, fighting uphill every minute of the day to reclaim some normality. It is intriguingly and beautifully done. The plot progresses quite naturally and becomes mysterious for a while, edge of your seat don't want to miss a clue kind of mysterious. The casting is superb, each actor bringing something more to the role, a genuine spark that makes them extremely plausible and real. I love that the filmmaker is not concerned with political correctness. The ending may seem extreme, but not if you read the papers on a regular basis.

The dialogue is very natural, spontaneous and keeps you on your toes. Look away and you might miss a condescending gem or an audacious threat uttered as a compliment. There are a number of Latin American films dealing with their maid phenomenon out there. A rising generation is mining the experience to great enjoyment of the movie masses in parts of the world where this type of home employment is not common. This is a great entry into that subject matter. I particularly liked the light humorous substrate throughout the film which saves it from its own darkness and gives it an air of Moliere type play played out with all the trappings of authentic scenery and great acting.

This is the second Chilean movie dealing with priest sex abuse that makes it seem more like a gay seduction May December relationship than a rape situation. The movie is very well made. The characters are very real and all the nuances are there ... but ... it is troubling. It made me think that perhaps the church would prefer that the public views things this way. The victim in this case is portrayed more like a guy who can't quite come out of the closet and views the priesthood as a commitment to being gay. Sure, I can understand a situation like that but it's a dangerous generalization to suppose all or most cases of sex abuse are like this. The main theme of the movie seems to be that it takes two to tango. It is not fair to the victims.

From the beginning, the location embraces you in all its details. A beautiful beach side hotel, once superb, now come down in the world, rough at the edges but still sublime in feeling. The director is a master at letting you figure out things instead of telling them to you. The movie shows you a period of time from the view of three very different people, the woman, her boyfriend, her son. It's honest filmmaking, without cheap tricks, true to each character. No one is served up for criticism, in fact, criticize if you dare, the subtlety of the story holds a mirror up to the viewer. The ghastliest moment is done with originality and resolved tacitly as if by angels.

If I could give more than 10 out of 10 I would. This is film-making at a level that transcends into pure art. Often while watching, one has the feeling of seeing something real and being an invisible observer. One gets to experience that sense of immersion into this particular world which is so intricate and believable. It's entertaining and shocking and disturbing in the sense that the viewer, against oneself, finds oneself agreeing with the miserable philosophies spewed by the patriarch and his entourage. This is due to the film's skill in drawing you into the middle of this family and into their intimate space and need for survival and extension of comforts. Very intelligent and talented people made this.

I was not expecting much but wanted to see something from Argentina. Very quickly I became immersed in this world of isolated evil, control, abuse and powerlessness. It chills your bones. The characters are excellently portrayed, the evil ones with their own personal shade of evil and level of participation. The good are merely prey, without a way out. Lito Cruz who plays the patriarch is extraordinary. He adds such detail and stink to every interaction, truly a genius, you feel the other characters wanting desperately to escape his presence. It is one of the most efficient movies in showing what it's like to be in an evil set-up with rich detail and convincing scenes.

This is a bizarre movie. It is also very successful in delivering a powerful message. It expertly shows disturbing flashes of misandry, misogyny, violence, hopelessness, hope, mystery, horror, curiosity, control. It puts the viewer into the skin of the character, feeling her transformations and the consequences. It doesn't explain much, allowing the viewer to be the detective and powerless participant. Much like Jesus, the main character experiences the best and the worst of humanity and that is hard to watch and not often seen in movies. It's probably the movie that will define Scarlett Johanssen's legacy as an actress.

My mom grimaced when I told her we were starting to watch a horror movie but soon she was into it and we both couldn't take our eyes off the screen. The movie is entertaining and smart without taking itself too seriously. The gore is well done, very believable as is the situation. I like that Roth did not care about being politically correct. Catering to the hypersensitive low intelligence sanctimonious section of the public is something no horror movie should ever do. This one did not. It had a great premise and went with it, bravely. I was pleasantly surprised to see the main actress is the director's wife. She is very good in this film and a pleasure to watch. The movie does not skimp on details and keeps you entertained throughout.

Truly good and unforgettable series with strong, believable characters you can't help becoming obsessed with. Tightly and delicately woven down to the smallest details, littlest characters that make a splash with just a couple of exchanges delivered in the perfect tone, with the perfect look and authentic feel. All is very well thought out to make you feel like a tiny fly in that world, observing its rawness and the evolution of the story. Very entertaining premise of a crime family with adopted, now adult children, all so different from one another but one and all caught in the web that is their given world. Would like to see a continuation as I can't get enough.

I would compare this to 30 Rock based on its fast pace and quality of jokes. It's really well done and creative. As an admirer of Argentine culture, this is a double pleasure as you get to immerse in the day to day and get a glimpse of the inside jokes. The facial expressions and the way people speak and look and interact is a refreshing change from American comedies which though many are funny, tend to be familiar, uniform territory. With this comedy, you don't really know what might come next so there's an element of curiosity and trying to keep up. "I don't know what I'm going to see in the following scene" - is a great feeling to experience when you watch a comedy series. It's not formulaic and it breaks new ground, plus very refreshing from a feminist standpoint.

I am not a fan of deer in the headlights style acting and Tilda Swinton gives up a great deal of it in this movie. Look at me as I stare blank faced and wide eyed as things, life things are happening around me. If anything redeems this movie somewhat, it's the splendid locations; the gorgeous mansion, the city, etc. The story fails because it does not give us anything to strive for or push against except the malaise, boredom and passivity of the main character who is not very sympathetic. It is hard to root for her, in fact you kind of hope she absentmindedly walks into a door at some point, or miscalculates and shoves an olive up her nose instead of her mouth in the repeated fork journey from plate to face.