Stoker Movie Review (2013)
A dark psychological thriller about a quiet teenage girl whose mysterious uncle arrives after her father’s death, Stoker is a hypnotic and visually stunning film, using extraordinary performances and unsettling ambiguity to create an experience that’s more about the psychology than easy answers.
This is one of those movies that has been on my watchlist for a long time, but I wanted to be in the exact right mood to watch it. I never read the description, although I’d seen the cover, and it was specifically recommended to me, so I had a guess at how I might feel about it. The cast looked amazing, but I wasn’t as familiar with Matthew Goode as I was with Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska – until I recently watched The Duke. He is a revelation in that movie, with energy leaping off the screen – so, remembering that this was on my list, I decided it was time.
Stoker is about a newly 18-year-old India, who is left with her shallow mother, Evelyn, after her father’s sudden death in a car crash. At the funeral, she is introduced to her father’s younger brother, Charlie, a man she didn’t know existed, and is irritated by his presence. At school, she has violent tendencies, something that her father became aware of, and his brother sees as well. The mysterious Charlie also seems to know other people in India’s life, and becomes increasingly interested in both Evelyn and India.
This is a fascinatingly dark film that keeps you questioning what you’re watching. Is it real or is it imagined? Is this a fantasy someone is having about something semi-real? I loved that. It kept me alert and wholly engaged.
The visuals are stunning, with a dreamlike quality to the entire film, and transitions such as hair becoming grass. The pictures, colors, and sounds have an almost painterly touch as they weave through the story with a haunting allure.
Matthew Goode, Nicole Kidman, and Mia Wasikowska are all mesmerizing, each with their own piece of a small cat-and-mouse game that you are never quite privy to. It’s all very layered, but they each command the screen in a magnetic way that is almost indescribable – just like the rest of this movie.
But that’s not to say that this is a fairy tale – or at least not the kind that we’re used to. My favorite quote from this film is, “Sometimes you need to do something bad to keep you from doing something worse,” which sums up the disturbing and morally unsettling choices that are almost sensual in nature.
Stoker is a truly unique movie with so much personality that it’s hard to describe in words. It is not an easy film by any standard, and you have to pay attention and lean into the chilling moments to connect. That said, I think it’s a remarkable film.
Runtime: 99 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 4.25/5 Stars
Available: Free on Max and Hulu, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
