The Skeleton Key

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The Skeleton Key

PG-13

2005

1h 44m

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

38%

Tomatometer

157 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Caroline Ellis (Kate Hudson), a good-natured nurse living in New Orleans, quits her job at a hospice to work for Violet Devereaux (Gena Rowlands), an elderly woman whose husband, Ben (John Hurt), is in poor health following a stroke. When Caroline begins to explore the couple's rundown Bayou mansion, she discovers strange artifacts and learns the house has a mysterious past. As she continues to investigate, she realizes that Violet is keeping a sinister secret about the cause of Ben's illness.

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Critics Consensus

Thanks to its creaky and formulaic script, The Skeleton Key is more mumbo-jumbo than hoodoo and more dull than scary.

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Aug 26, 2005

C

A blundering New Orleans-set thriller under the spell of archaic stereotypes about Southern Bayou blacks.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Aug 20, 2005

2/4

Blame screenwriter Ehren Kruger (Arlington Road). I can't tell if this hit-and-miss scribe is a remarkably talented guy who's unfortunately had a few misfires or if his few good scripts were just the result of a large amount of blind luck.

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Richard Roeper

Ebert & Roeper

Aug 15, 2005

This is a moody, creepy thriller with some genuinely scary moments and a couple of twists that took me completely by surprise.

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Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

Nov 20, 2025

3.5/5

It's not a great film, but it is a highly enjoyable one, particularly when Hudson and Rowlands go at each other. The twisty climax is genuinely difficult to predict on a first time watch, even if the film's racial implication are dicey

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Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

Nov 17, 2025

3/5

The Skeleton Key hasn't aged as poorly as one might think, given the racial politics at play, and it's worth a watch for Gena Rowlands' sinister performance alone.

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Brooke Obie

Black Girl Watching

Oct 28, 2025

The worst horror movie I’ve ever seen. Kate Hudson, you are going to jail! Ehren Kruger won a Razzie for Worst Screenplay for the wrong movie. The Skeleton Key is so devious and underhanded in its anti-Blackness and it should haunt Kruger forever.

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Don T

@dtthrow 10 hrs ago

One of my all time faves

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Jay L

@Jay.Livin 2 days ago

Great concept with the hoodoo storyline. It’s kind of a slow burn at first but the built up suspense is really good and worth the wait. The plot twists are amazing and the ending was my favorite part I was truly left in shock when I finished the movie. I definitely recommend giving this a watch I’m surprised I’ve never heard of it before it’s a great movie.

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Madeline M

@hrennles 2 days ago

WOW. I got full body chills when I fully comprehended what happened… Also, I really liked the ending - true irony.

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Stoner J

@Stoner 2 days ago

A great and way underrated horror gem. With awesome twists, especially the end.

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Robert P

@Superbad 5 days ago

This movie is only worthy of *2 and 1/2*

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Wendel L

@BRZRKR Jun 21, 2026

Direção: Ok Atuação: Bom Roteiro: Ok Caracterização: Bom Soundtrack: Ok

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Iain Softley

Director

Kate Hudson

Caroline Ellis

Gena Rowlands

Violet Devereaux

John Hurt

Ben Devereaux

Peter Sarsgaard

Luke

Joy Bryant

Jill

The Skeleton Key: Official Clip - It Doesn't Work If You Don't Believe

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Synopsis

Caroline Ellis (Kate Hudson), a good-natured nurse living in New Orleans, quits her job at a hospice to work for Violet Devereaux (Gena Rowlands), an elderly woman whose husband, Ben (John Hurt), is in poor health following a stroke. When Caroline begins to explore the couple's rundown Bayou mansion, she discovers strange artifacts and learns the house has a mysterious past. As she continues to investigate, she realizes that Violet is keeping a sinister secret about the cause of Ben's illness.

Director: Iain Softley
Producer: Daniel Bobker, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher
Screenwriter: Ehren Kruger
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Double Feature Films
Rating: PG-13 (Some Partial Nudity|Disturbing Images|Thematic Material|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 12, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 7, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $47.8M
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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