The Skeleton Key

PG-13

Released Aug 12, 2005

1 hr. 44 min.

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

List

37%

155 Reviews

Tomatometer

58%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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Mridul K

Amazing movie amazing acting amazing plot!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/15/24

Full Review

Melissa L

Well-acted, and a twisty ending. Recommend!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/10/23

Full Review

Rowan M

I can't believe this is rated so low. I thought it was different and a great thriller.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/28/23

Full Review

Joseph H

Good idea but slow at parts but the biggest problem is the main character acts in a intelligent way but gets a bad end regardless that leaves you feeling robbed

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/12/23

Full Review

Denton D

One of my favourite horror movies of all time. Although the story seems to progress slowly at the beginning, the time is well spent introducing the main character and the viewer to hoodoo, showing the details of it, and the superstitions of those who believe in it. The backstory of the house is incredibly interesting, and the action scenes near the end keep you hooked, and the twists are very clever. Rewatching it, you can see where very subtle hints and details are that nod to what the main character finally discovers. If they ever made a sequel, I would definitely watch it.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/30/23

Full Review

Courtney K

i haven't seen this movie in YEARS so decided to rewatch it - & although i do love the cast, it quickly lost my attention; not sure if that's because things would start coming back to me or not, but it's a little slow. i eventually stopped watching it altogether.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/15/23

Full Review

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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

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

2:02

The Skeleton Key: Official Clip - Ghost in the Mirror

1:41

The Skeleton Key: Official Clip - Get Me Out of Here!

2:47

The Skeleton Key: Official Clip - Crawling Away

2:47

The Skeleton Key: Official Clip - The Body Stealers

2:15

The Skeleton Key: Official Clip - Chased by Conjurers

2:18

The Skeleton Key: Official Clip - Performing the Ritual

1:47

The Skeleton Key: Official Clip - Dark Magic History

3:20

The Skeleton Key: Official Clip - Escaping the House

3:30

The Skeleton Key: Official Clip - Hoodoo Attic

2:52

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

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

Rated: C

Aug 26, 2005

Full Review

Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

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.

Rated: 2/4

Aug 20, 2005

Full Review

Richard Roeper

Ebert & Roeper

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

Aug 15, 2005

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The supernatural element extends beyond what's taking place on the screen, as it appears that Rowlands, delivering a performance of high camp, has been possessed by What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?-era Bette Davis.

Rated: 2.5/4

Sep 17, 2021

Full Review

Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

It is much more difficult to decide whether The Skeleton Key is mildly offensive or nicely provocative - or for that matter if it is dreadfully silly or actually quite smart.

Rated: 6/10

May 8, 2021

Full Review

Mark H. Harris

Black Horror Movies

Ever since The Sixth Sense, thriller "twists" have become increasingly lame and pointless, but in The Skeleton Key, it actually works quite well.

Rated: 3.8/5

Jan 6, 2020

Full Review

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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
Executive Producer: Clayton Townsend, Holly Bario, Scott Stuber
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
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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