Chronic

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Chronic

R

Released Sep 23, 2016

1h 33m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

59 Reviews

56%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

David, a meticulous and efficient home care nurse working with terminally ill people, develops close relationships with his patients. In his private life David is awkward and reserved, which leads to him needing his patients as much as they need him.

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Critics Consensus

Chronic demands patience from the viewer -- and yields rich dividends with an affecting story and a committed starring performance by Tim Roth.

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Claudia Puig

The Asahi Shimbun GLOBE (Japan)

The daily care of the terminally ill is portrayed powerfully in the low-key and clear-eyed Chronic. [Full review in Japanese]

Rated: 3/4

Dec 19, 2016

Full Review

Gary Goldstein

Los Angeles Times

For a drama that's as quiet and circumspect as "Chronic," it's a decidedly bold film, one that pulls few punches as it slowly peels away the emotional layers of its complex protagonist.

Sep 29, 2016

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Glenn Kenny

RogerEbert.com

Tim Roth gives a career-high performance in this meticulous, disturbing film.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 23, 2016

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Lucía Ros Serra

Espinof

Hard, unpleasant and at times unfair, the only thing that fails in 'Chronic' is that it doesn't know how to conclude David's character arc. [Full Review in Spanish]

May 14, 2020

Full Review

Phil W. Bayles

One Room With A View

Had it ended just a few minutes earlier, Chronic would be a knockout. As it is, it's a difficult watch worth enduring for one of Roth's best performances to date.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 12, 2019

Full Review

Lucy Popescu

CineVue

Chronic is a towering achievement. Roth gives a beautifully understated performance...

Rated: 4/5

Apr 8, 2019

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Alain E

A very disturbing movie about dying, which unfortunately is not a very pleasant subject. The flow is very slow, but expertly controlled. Little by little we learn elements about the life of Tim Roth’s character, who plays a hospice nurse with his own personal tragedy in his past. A lot of major decisions are made off screen and we just witness the consequences. In the final scene, the camera follows the hero as he is jogging, which we had witnessed in the past. The scene is longer now and that raises some suspicions, but when the conclusion comes it is completely shocking. Not a dating movie, but worth seeing as the subject has one hundred percent prevalence. Acting is outstanding and the script is totally melodrama free.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/21/25

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cynthia s

An eloquent portrayal of impending death from chronic disease and a caregiver who is comfortable only with those in his charge who are going. through it. Beautiful, spare, profoundly intimate and unforgettable. A superb performance by Tim Roth.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

omg! the ending! #speechless

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/28/18

Full Review

nilufer e

I definitely want Tim Roth to take care of me if I got sick. He was so natural and caring and loving, that man is a superb actor and this movie was deep, sentimental, slow but catchy and one of his greatest performances.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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chris n

This film is an anti-melodrama, instead of the characters telling us who they are and how they feel, we have to sit in the room with them decide for ourselves. It's a depressing experience but never boring, a well done film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

"Chronic" explores the side of life we tend to shun. It avoids known story structures. There's no place for metamorphosis. It's raw and requires patience, and to say it gives an answer is an exaggeration. Subtleties have never been so subtle. It's so real it can make as big an impact as if you were there.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

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Michel Franco

Director

Tim Roth

David

Sarah Sutherland

Nadia

Robin Bartlett

Marta

Rachel Pickup

Sarah

Michael Cristofer

John

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Synopsis

David, a meticulous and efficient home care nurse working with terminally ill people, develops close relationships with his patients. In his private life David is awkward and reserved, which leads to him needing his patients as much as they need him.

Director: Michel Franco
Producer: Gabriel Ripstein, Michel Franco, Moisés Zonana, Gina Kwon
Screenwriter: Michel Franco
Distributor: Monument Releasing
Production Co: Vamonos Films, Lucia Films, VideoCine, Stromboli Films
Rating: R (Some Nudity and Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 23, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 14, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.2K
Runtime: 1h 33m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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