Audition

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Audition

1999

1h 55m

Horror

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

82 Reviews

80%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

This disturbing Japanese thriller follows Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), a widower who decides to start dating again. Aided by a film-producer friend (Miyuki Matsuda), Aoyama uses auditions for a fake production to function as a dating service. When Aoyama becomes intrigued by the withdrawn, gorgeous Asami (Eihi Shiina), they begin a relationship. However, he begins to realize that Asami isn't as reserved as she appears to be, leading to gradually increased tension and a harrowing climax.

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Critics Consensus

An audacious, unsettling Japanese horror film from director Takashi Miike, Audition entertains as both a grisly shocker and a psychological drama.

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Chuck Bowen

Slant Magazine

The film is a brutal examination of social isolation and malaise, and the gulf that often exists between men and women.

Rated: 4/4

Jul 1, 2019

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

A stomach-turning masterpiece.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 10, 2015

Full Review

Jim Sullivan

Boston Globe

This movie, at just under two hours, is a long crawl from inception to climax.

Rated: 2/4

Nov 30, 2001

Full Review

Stephanie Archer

Film Inquiry

Audition is a slow burner of a horror, an almost perfect example of a frog in boiling water.

Nov 2, 2023

Full Review

Carolyn Hinds

JoySauce.com

A film I’ve seen once and I’m not sure I’ll ever see again because it’s so effectively disturbing, which is exactly what you want with a horror film. I’ve never looked at piano wire the same way again.

Nov 9, 2022

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

What begins as a gentle romance based on a lie turns into a disturbed and disturbing psycho-horror nightmare that rockets into the Twilight Zone of obsession, sadism, and mutilation.

Oct 29, 2022

Full Review

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Damian M

Amazing movie, creepy, disturbing mystery

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/20/24

Full Review

Steve C

When your friend warns you about something, and you do it anyways... RIP. This film is rated R. Graphic violence in the last 20 minutes. MC did not deserve any of that.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/16/24

Full Review

Thirdi A

this is a snoozer until it ramps up in the 2nd half and once things get wild it still isnt worth the time investment.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/13/24

Full Review

Patrick F

The extremely disturbed lead female actor is extremely clingy and auditions for a movie roll. An impressed crew member fancies her highly and they form a relationship. What begins as frightening nightmares for him become a extremely disturbing reality.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/26/24

Full Review

Christian K

Extended stretches of delicate character and world building to set up a psychological and tortuous climax. I will say from the buzz and acclaim of this I was little let down on the horror and thrills side, but its extremely well done.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/07/24

Full Review

Chris F

The first half of the movie is slow and it struggled to keep my attention. The second half is sadistic and often grotesque. While you can appreciate the ideas of the film, it just did not register with me in any way.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/27/24

Full Review

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Takashi Miike

Director

Ryo Ishibashi

Shigeharu Aoyama

Eihi Shiina

Asami Yamazaki

Jun Kunimura

Yasuhisa Yoshikawa

Miyuki Matsuda

Ryoko Aoyama

Ren Ôsugi

Shibata

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Synopsis

This disturbing Japanese thriller follows Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), a widower who decides to start dating again. Aided by a film-producer friend (Miyuki Matsuda), Aoyama uses auditions for a fake production to function as a dating service. When Aoyama becomes intrigued by the withdrawn, gorgeous Asami (Eihi Shiina), they begin a relationship. However, he begins to realize that Asami isn't as reserved as she appears to be, leading to gradually increased tension and a harrowing climax.

Director: Takashi Miike
Producer: Satoshi Fukushima, Akemi Suyama
Screenwriter: Daisuke Tengan, Ryu Murakami
Production Co: Omega Project
Genre: Horror
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 19, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $110.8K
Runtime: 1h 55m

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