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Funny Games

1997 1h 48m Mystery & Thriller List
73% Tomatometer 40 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
An idyllic lakeside vacation home is terrorized by Paul (Arno Frisch) and Peter (Frank Giering), a pair of deeply disturbed young men. When the fearful Anna (Susanne Lothar) is home alone, the two men drop by for a visit that quickly turns violent and terrifying. Husband Georg (Ulrich Mühe) comes to her rescue, but Paul and Peter take the family hostage and subject them to nightmarish abuse and humiliation. From time to time, Paul talks to the film's audience, making it complicit in the horror.
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Funny Games

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Critics Consensus

Violent images and blunt audience provocation make up this nihilistic experiment from one of cinema's more difficult filmmakers.

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Critics Reviews

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David Rooney Variety The film outstays its welcome and is more than a little too knowing in its manipulation of standard audience expectations for the genre. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review Ed Gonzalez Slant Magazine Haneke's snooty admonishments are disturbing because they're never self-critical. Rated: 2/4 May 3, 2006 Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out Brilliant, radical, provocative, it's a masterpiece that is at times barely watchable. Jan 26, 2006 Full Review Brian Bisesi Horror Movie Club Podcast While Funny Games takes us on an entirely unpleasant journey, it at least plays with form and forces us to question our role in the entire disturbing affair. Long takes and patient pacing force us to reckon with the horrors unfolding on the screen. Rated: 3.5/5 May 15, 2024 Full Review Joe Lipsett Horror Queers Podcast Haneke's audacious home invasion film is as confronting as it is effective. This is a masterclass. Rated: 4.5/5 Nov 3, 2023 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies It’s a disturbing thriller that I found to be smart and compelling but also brutally painful and sometimes emotionally unbearable. Rated: 4.5/5 Aug 21, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Mason M An absolutely horrifying and genius film. I've never seen a film that seems to be a commentary on itself. The mock horror movie is very common (and usually not very good) but it seems that Funny Games takes itself more seriously than the others. Due to it being a commentary on how we see violence in media, I'm quite ashamed about how much I enjoyed this. But that's just be the genius of Funny Games, it proves it's point. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/07/24 Full Review Will H Dare I say a classic psychological horror film Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/01/24 Full Review Michael S I'm not that big into foreign movies but man this was some absolutely crazy, intense stuff. A truly disturbing film that can only be watched once only. I'll admit that the second half does fall a little flat but the first is some of the most rivoting piece of cinema you will see in a long time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/01/24 Full Review Alana J This movie takes breaking the 3rd wall to a whole new meaning being hysterical yet chilling.The killers unlike some horror movies have no compassion,remorse or sympathy.Truely a must watch 10/10. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/23/24 Full Review Barney C The most uncomfortable movie I've ever had to sit through, and the first movie I ever considered turning off, but like, in a good way. This movie's horror is so unique and well done.. Would I watch it again? no lol. Am i glad I watched it? Absolutely. This movie will give you depression just fyi Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/09/24 Full Review Jeff M Sometimes no matter how well a film is made and no matter how talented the individuals in front of and behind the camera, it goes beyond what is acceptable in your own moral universe, and you shut down. That happened to me about halfway through this motion picture, when an event happens (thankfully offscreen) that is so vile that I turned to stone. And there's more to come. Haneke is an award-winning, world-renowned director, and some have declared this a masterpiece. Perhaps the feelings it has elicited in me is exactly what the filmmakers were after, so it could be construed a success. I've seen many movies with similar themes, so why was I so repelled? In restrospect, it comes down to a couple scenes. A few times the main antagonist breaks the fourth wall and talks to the audience as if they were an accomplice. And without giving too much away, there is one scene where time is reversed that feels so gimmicky and unfair that it cemented my repulsion. Movies like this are impossible to review fairly - the movie is brilliantly made. Performances are amazing and award worthy, particularly Lothar and Frisch. They are incredible! But why utilize so much talent on this material? I am certain they have their reasons, but in the end it doesn't matter. Art is subjective. An American remake was done 10 years later starring Naomi Watts and Tim Roth, by the same director. While part of me feels compelled to watch it for comparison sake, I don't know if I want to subject myself to this material a second time. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/08/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis An idyllic lakeside vacation home is terrorized by Paul (Arno Frisch) and Peter (Frank Giering), a pair of deeply disturbed young men. When the fearful Anna (Susanne Lothar) is home alone, the two men drop by for a visit that quickly turns violent and terrifying. Husband Georg (Ulrich Mühe) comes to her rescue, but Paul and Peter take the family hostage and subject them to nightmarish abuse and humiliation. From time to time, Paul talks to the film's audience, making it complicit in the horror.
Director
Michael Haneke
Producer
Veit Heiduschka
Screenwriter
Michael Haneke
Production Co
Wega Film, Lucky Red
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
German
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 15, 2020
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Dolby, Surround
Aspect Ratio
35mm
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