Stoker
(2013)Do not disturb the family.
Mia Wasikowska stars as India in this creepy domestic thriller, the troubled daughter of an unstable mother (Nicole Kidman). When shifty Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) moves in soon after the death of her father, India comes to suspect he has ulterior motives. But instead of feeling outrage or horror, the friendless India becomes increasingly infatuated with him.... More
This marks the debut English-language feature of Korean director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Thirst). The script, which made it into the top ten of the 2010 Black List (the best unproduced scripts in Hollywood), was written by Ted Foulke, later revealed to be a pseudonym of actor Wentworth Miller (TV's Prison Break).Hide
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Directed by Park Chan-wook
Starring Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney, Lucas Till, Alden Ehrenreich, Jacki Weaver
Written by Wentworth Miller
On Demand, DVD & Blu-Ray
Available from 2 providers
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Stoker
BY Gerd superstar
Whilst dwelling on social taboos it is in no way related to any issue of our or any other times nor based on any logical concept, dripping along subjecting the audience to sleep injecting never ending dialogs unpleasantly interrupted by explosions of brainless violence.
BY RealityCheck superstar
- Stoker -
Totally a film festival piece & loved it, mash up of 'Gothic' 'The Others' & 'Natural Born Killers'. Great film that keeps you watching, thinking and guessing. Wonderful to watch something that hasnt come out of Hollywood normality, and with a better ending.
Genre : Thriller, horror, mystery
4/5 : enjoyable but you need to be in the right mood
The Press Reviews
69%
of critics recommend.
Rotten Tomatoes Score. More reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
An intense mix of horror, thriller and domestic drama, this is exquisite film making. Full Review
Drooling fanboys and "Buffy"-loving academics are sure to go wild — not that there’s anything wrong with that…right? Stoker is a gorgeous wank job; just prepare to hate yourself for loving it. Full Review
Literary references and symbolism abound .. You can get tied up trying to figure out who is what. That is the idea. All the clues are there. You just have to look closely. Full Review
Thanks to Park's endless creativity behind the camera, it's impossible to look away, even when what's happening on the screen is truly risible. Full Review
It may be Mr. Park's reputation that induces a state of queasy anticipation in the early scenes... But it is also, unquestionably, his craft. Full Review
Park Chan-wook brings operatic finesse to generic material in his tight-wound, wickedly weird US debut. And Mia Wasikowska nails it. Full Review
A splendidly demented gumbo of Hitchcock thriller, American Gothic fairy tale and a contemporary kink all Park's own. Full Review
BY Tony Stamp Flicks Writer
I was already a huge fan of Park Chan-wook's Korean films, so I've been eagerly awaiting his English language debut, hoping his incredible style would survive the move to America. And it has. Stoker has Park's fingerprints all over it, taking place inside a heightened reality filled with operatic flourishes.... More
India (Wasikowska) has just turned 18. On the day of her birthday her father dies, and at the funeral a mysterious uncle (Matthew Goode) is present. He soon moves in with India and her mother (Kidman) at their opulent home, and for the remainder of the film we watch these three bounce off each other (and a few peripheral characters), as an atmosphere of dread becomes increasingly apparent.
Mia Wasikowska gives her best performance since her role in the HBO series In Treatment, becoming a woman before our eyes as she deals with familial as well as personal revelations. Kidman brings out the dark humour in the script more successfully than her co-stars, provoking laughter with her bewildered expressions. Watching her you can't help thinking about all that botox, but it suits her character. And while Goode perhaps overplays the crazy-eyes, it fits the extravagant world of Stoker so well I can't fault him.
Every shot is immaculately framed, and every camera movement is graceful. Park's attention to detail is apparent in every scene. I was also happy to note he brought with him a wonderfully attentive approach to sound design. Never has a belt sounded so ominous.
Stoker delves into some seriously dark psychological territory, while somehow rising above it. It pulls the impressive trick of making ugly acts seem beautiful, and is the best film I've seen all year.Hide
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