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Child's Pose

Play trailer Poster for Child's Pose 2013 1h 52m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 84 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A wealthy and aging Bucharest matriarch gives out bribes as she tries to buy her son out of a hit-and-run conviction.

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Child's Pose

Child's Pose

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Critics Consensus

It isn't necessarily an easy watch, but thanks to Netzer's interesting direction and a riveting performance from Gheorghiu, Child's Pose is rewarding.

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Critics Reviews

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David Parkinson Empire Magazine Another powerfully observed Romanian drama. Rated: 3/5 Oct 1, 2014 Full Review Geoffrey Macnab Independent (UK) Razvan Radulescu's screenplay is rich in irony and reversals, highlighting tensions between generations, and between the wealthy elite and the people whose lives are blighted by the elite's unthinking behaviour and desperation to cling to its status. Rated: 3/5 Oct 1, 2014 Full Review Jake Wilson The Age (Australia) Despite these effective touches, the film eventually becomes a bit monotonous: it's clear from very early on that Cornelia is a terrible person, but this doesn't stop Netzer from hammering home the point. Rated: 3/5 May 19, 2014 Full Review Alexa Dalby Dog and Wolf It's an acting tour de force and she (Gheorghiu) carries the film in a terrifying portrayal of both obsessive mother-love and also the symbolic privilege of her position Rated: 4/5 Jun 7, 2019 Full Review Bernard Boo Way Too Indie Gheorghiu's performance is so complex, so nimble and unpredictable, it's breathtaking. Rated: 7.5/10 Apr 3, 2019 Full Review Daniel Green CineVue Child's Pose locks you into its complex tale of emotional (and familial) blackmail from the very beginning, whilst never feeling the need to descend into out-and-out melodramatic. Rated: 4/5 Mar 5, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Goran G I don't know why all the movie sites as a synopsis have 'hit-and-run' conviction. It wasn't hit and run, just for the record! However, the mother is absolute hit here, as a manipulative character in a brilliant performance by Luminita Gheorghiu. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/15/24 Full Review Nawt W Primarily, this is a movie about class and how everything can be bought and sold through connections, bribes, and favors, just like in any post-communist eastern European country. But on the surface, this is an incredible character study of a controlling mother who can't quite figure out where she went wrong that her son ended up like this, complemented by a lack of music and long periods of poignant silence of contemplation. She clearly loved him very much, but it didn't stop him from turning into a man-child with no aspirations and more insecurities than even his all-seeing mother could perceive. It's all been done wonderfully. Every actor gives it their best. From a subtle entitlement frown to vile disgust to feigned grief. Unfortunately, the hand-held filming doesn't produce vivid images or scenes, and it's just shot/reverse shot through the whole movie. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/26/22 Full Review Audience Member I just loved this. What an intimate delivery all around, of a very real family situation. Audience must speculate a bit about the mother/son relationship, but that's part of its uniqueness. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member Un guion fantástico, y actuaciones increíbles, la ganadora del Oso de Oro 2013 en Berlín es imperdible. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member On the one hand this is a deeply disturbing glimpse into the psychology of an overtly-privilleged family and a mother trying to do anything to save her son from paying for an accidental murder. On the other it is a scathing socio-political allegory of Eastern Europe's "Nouveau Riche" entitlement and a system that supports it. A tough slice of neorealism made sharp as a knife and devastating by an unforgettable performance form Luminita Gheorghiu as the savagely desperate mother. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member In italiano "il caso Kerenes". Un film che fa capire che tutto il mondo é paese, anzi a volte peggio. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Child's Pose

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis A wealthy and aging Bucharest matriarch gives out bribes as she tries to buy her son out of a hit-and-run conviction.
Director
Calin Peter Netzer
Producer
Oana Giurgiu, Calin Peter Netzer, Ada Solomon
Screenwriter
Razvan Radulescu, Calin Peter Netzer
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Romanian
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$94.9K
Runtime
1h 52m
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