A Banquet

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2:15

A Banquet

Released Feb 18, 2022

1h 38m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

57%

Tomatometer

67 Reviews

28%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Widowed mother Holly (Sienna Guillory) is radically tested when her teenage daughter Betsey (Jessica Alexander) experiences a profound enlightenment and insists that her body is no longer her own, but in service to a higher power. Bound to her newfound faith, Betsey refuses to eat but loses no weight. In an agonizing dilemma, torn between love and fear, Holly is forced to confront the boundaries of her own beliefs.

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Critics Consensus

If it isn't without its share of empty calories, A Banquet remains a lavishly appointed treat for fans of slow-burning horror.

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

This profoundly unnerving gastronomic horror is certainly the wrong flick to watch before a dinner date.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 16, 2022

Full Review

Katherine McLaughlin

Little White Lies

A feast for the senses and a promising debut.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 10, 2022

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

It is really unnerving.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 9, 2022

Full Review

Joseph Tomastik

Loud and Clear Reviews

The tension, performances, and directing are great enough for me to recommend the film. Just know that you’ll be getting much more out of the experience than whatever the film has to say.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 4, 2024

Full Review

Hector A. Gonzalez

The Movie Buff

A Banquet starts as an interesting tale of higher-power possession with a strong performance by Jessica Alexander and a nice score, but its last act is quite messy and poorly-structured. It ends up biting off more than it can chew.

Rated: C

Sep 8, 2024

Full Review

Ygraine Hackett-Cantabrana

The Geek Show (UK)

It is through the use of everyday things such as scraping plates, blenders and close up of mouths and eyes, that Paxton is able to expertly create an uncomfortable and tense watch, lending moments of body horror to an otherwise sterile environment.

Jul 9, 2024

Full Review

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Audience Member

A “Take Shelter” vibe.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/10/24

Full Review

Diana S

Presents as a possession film, but it's ultimately about the inevitable persistence of profound mental illness, especially when it's ignored, and the myriad ways in which treatments falter.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/21/24

Full Review

Spitfyre 8

Definitely a juxtaposition between plot and characterization and acting where I thought the plot didn't justify how great the actors' performances were. The performances made it watchable, but I didn't find myself really caring about the circumstances, therefore, middle-of-the-road film for me.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/24

Full Review

Savanna C

Honestly I really liked this movie! I can see why some would rate it low, but I truly enjoyed it. Was it chilling and thrilling and terrifying? Not in the traditional sense. The individual storylines and arcs for each character were clear and well-driven. Overall, I found it thought provoking, artistic, and emotional.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/11/23

Full Review

Jason R

Not great https://uberscaryblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/whats-point-of-it-all.html

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/24/23

Full Review

Konyia T

Fine, since no one was honest I'll be honest. The ending made no sense. If someone who wasn't religious watched this they would be mad. I basically watched a movie about a mother watching her teenage daughter starve herself after her husband commits suicide. I get during the movie she said he mom was the "first star" but why'd Bets have to die? Who was the second star? Did the world end and everyone end up in a better place? What happened to the mom at the end what did she see? Where did she go? Wouldn't recommend. 30 minutes of this movie had to be missing. Hopefully part 2 soon.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/07/23

Full Review

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Ruth Paxton

Director

Sienna Guillory

Holly

Jessica Alexander

Betsey

Ruby Stokes

Isabelle

Lindsay Duncan

June

Kaine Zajaz

Dominic

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A Banquet: Movie Clip - Peas

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A Banquet: Trailer 1

2:15

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Synopsis

Widowed mother Holly (Sienna Guillory) is radically tested when her teenage daughter Betsey (Jessica Alexander) experiences a profound enlightenment and insists that her body is no longer her own, but in service to a higher power. Bound to her newfound faith, Betsey refuses to eat but loses no weight. In an agonizing dilemma, torn between love and fear, Holly is forced to confront the boundaries of her own beliefs.

Director: Ruth Paxton
Producer: Leonora Darby, Mark Lane, James Harris, Nik Bower, Laure Vaysse
Screenwriter: Justin Bull
Distributor: IFC Midnight
Production Co: Tea Shop Productions, Reliance Entertainment Productions 8, Riverstone Pictures
Genre: Horror
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 18, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 18, 2022
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.2K
Runtime: 1h 38m

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