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Funny Games

Play trailer Poster for Funny Games 1997 1h 48m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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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

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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Jean B Well. One star. Nothing much to say. It is boring, bad acting and useless story. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 07/04/25 Full Review Pikachu p Anna und Georg fahren mit ihrem Sohn Schorschi zu ihrem Ferienhaus. Dort angekommen begegnen sie den jungen Mann Peter, welcher Eier von Anna haben möchte. Doch er ist tollpatschig und nervös. Anna bekommt immer mehr Angst und bittet ihn hinaus. Doch dann kommt Peters Freund Paul und es beginnt ein Spiel um Leben und Tod. Funny Games gilt als ein kontroverser Film. Für einige ist er zu heftig (könnte mir auch in bestimmten Phasen meines Lebens so sein) und für andere ist er genial. Ich kann mir vorstellen, dass einige finden werden, dass hier Geiselnehmer und Psychopathen gefeiert werden und man mit ihnen sympathisieren sollen. Diese Leute haben, den Film nicht verstanden. In Funny Games lässt sich viel hineininterpretieren und um alles genau zu verstehen, muss man ihn mehrmals sehen, was einem aber schwerfällt. Ich sehe diesen Film an Kritik von Sekten, da die beiden Täter typische Merkmale zeigen, die in einer Sekte zu finden sind. Zum einen der schüchterne, menschenscheue und den Psychopathen der Spaß hat Leute zu quälen und gut reden und überzeugen kann. Außerdem tragen beide das gleiche: Komplett in Weiß gekleidet und mit Handschuhen. Der Film weißt, auch Methamomente, welche einem rausbringen kann und an einer Stelle bringt es einem zum Lachen. In diesem Film wird auch lange mit der Kamera draufgehalten. Wenn etwas Schlimmes passiert, hält die Kamera lange darauf, dass man somit genau sieht wie die Charaktere leiden und wie sie das geschehene gerade verarbeiten und was sie gerade vermutlich denken. Die Schauspielleistung ist von allen beteiligten sensationell und mich wundert es, dass dieser Film damals nicht für besten fremdsprachigen Film bei den Oscars eingereicht wurde. Vermutlich liegt es daran, dass er zu hart ist. Funny Games ist ein psychologischer Film, der einen länger beschäftigt und über den man viel diskutieren kann. Während des schauen bekommt man Angst das die Täter zu schlagen oder wiederkommen, wenn sie für kurze Zeit verschwinden. Hier feuert man definitiv die Täter nicht an, was in Slasherfilmen oft der Fall ist. Dieser Film ist kein Slasher, kritisiert dieses Genre ein bisschen. 9/10 Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/01/25 Full Review Sergio A Michael Haneke unsettles like only he knows how: creating horror without graphic imagery, excessive visual effects, or loud sound cues. The most brilliant part is that he does it with a clear purpose: to raise awareness. It’s uncomfortable to watch, yet still a masterpiece. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/23/25 Full Review rinu H This movie startet a very new kind of horror. The inescapable situation of being exposed to the slowly increasing psychological violence of common people, without any way out. No need for ghosts, monsters, gods or evil-looking villains... all it takes is two young men in tennis outfits and the world becomes a different place. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/01/25 Full Review Yash B "Funny Games" is a strange movie but it is made with skill and kept me on the edge of my seat. I didn't know what direction it was heading at any time, and it left me confused at a few points too with some of the creative choices and fourth wall breaks. I think the movie is a disturbing watch, but it managed to make me uneasy without being too showy. I was impressed by how the movie is often really quiet and only implies horrifying actions offscreen. The movie got under my skin often and kept me uncomfortable with a bizarre mix of thrills and even dark humor. Overall, this is a fascinating movie that is intense and thought-provoking and is a truly unique experience. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/23/25 Full Review Jacob B A difficult watch. I can’t say that I enjoyed it, but it definitely got under my skin and lingered in my mind for a long time. As a fan of the director (especially his film “The White Ribbon”) I would definitely recommend it, but for the faint of heart or the impatient, I would say to look elsewhere. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/05/25 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
Lucky Red, Wega Film
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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