Demolition

Play trailer

2:20

Demolition

R

Released Apr 8, 2016

1h 41m

Comedy

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

54%

Tomatometer

211 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Grieving investment banker Davis Mitchell (Jake Gyllenhaal) returns to work after losing his beloved wife in a tragic car accident. After writing a letter to complain about a vending machine, Mitchell receives a phone call from Karen (Naomi Watts), a customer service rep from the company. Karen becomes moved by his complete honesty, while Davis finds someone to lend a sympathetic ear. As his new friendship with Karen and her son grows, Mitchell finds the strength he needs to rebuild his life.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Demolition benefits from a stellar cast, even if their solid work isn't always enough to prop up a confused story that aims for profundity but too often settles for clichés.

Read Critics Reviews

Dwight Brown

National Newspaper Publishers Association

Who knows where his displaced emotions will take him? Who cares?

Nov 8, 2016

Full Review

Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Demolition is a cinematic deconstruction of expectation and cliché, all of which results in a moving marvel of self-actualization I think I just might be in love with.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 11, 2016

Full Review

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

The story of a bereaved man who starts to dismantle household appliances and, later, buildings, the whole movie is a laboured metaphor: we get it, he's falling apart.

Rated: 2/5

May 1, 2016

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

It benefits from a credible performance by Jake Gyllenhaal, but the drama often remains situated in a demolition zone that slowly destroys, with each iteration, the potential of its premise about grief and redemption. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 5/10

Oct 15, 2024

Full Review

JD Duran

InSession Film

A frustrating experience. There is a lot to appreciate about this film and it had massive potential, but like Dallas Buyer Club, Vallée wasn’t exactly sure where to take the film and it shows.

Rated: B-

Aug 1, 2024

Full Review

Jordan Brooks

Vague Visages

Neatly tied resolutions and dime-a-dozen aphorisms feel as fleeting and immaterial as a television drama, while any lasting impression must be hard-fought and pried from between the lines of the script.

Aug 1, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Ümit Enes G

It’s a breath of fresh air to see grief portrayed in such a raw yet beautiful way. From start to finish, Demolition had me glued to the screen even though I hadn’t planned to watch a movie at all. It reminded me of Camus’s The Stranger. Grief is weird. Not in the sense of being unique -many people can relate to Davis- but in how unpredictable and irrational it feels. Honestly, it’s no surprise that critics gave this film poor reviews. It’s clear most of them haven’t experienced a loss deep enough to understand this kind of emotional detachment. This wasn’t a conventional depiction of mourning, and that’s exactly why it was so powerful.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/18/25

Full Review

Scotty R

Anyone who says this is a 'bad' film is a vapid moron and should donate their keyboard and tomato splats to the night school they dropped out of. It's a very pleasing watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/14/25

Full Review

Madam D

Grief is different for each person. A happy life is also unique for everyone. I absolutely love the acting in this film, from the entire cast. Gyllenhaal & Watts are especially notworthy.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/08/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/27/25

Full Review

Audience Member

It wasn't good, boring for me...

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/26/25

Full Review

Esra Y

It's so Valee and so 2010s. Movie failed to make me care for it's two center characters.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/19/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Jean-Marc Vallée

Director

Jake Gyllenhaal

Davis Mitchell

Naomi Watts

Karen Moreno

Chris Cooper

Phil

Judah Lewis

Chris Moreno

C.J. Wilson

Carl

While We're Young

84%

51%

While We're Young

Watchlist

TRAILER

for While We're Young

Chef

87%

85%

Chef

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Chef

Brad's Status

79%

55%

Brad's Status

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Brad's Status

Wish I Was Here

45%

59%

Wish I Was Here

Watchlist

Jeff, Who Lives at Home

77%

62%

Jeff, Who Lives at Home

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

On DVD This Week: Batman v Superman, Orphan Black, and More

The Boss Strains for Laughs

Demolition: Trailer 2

2:20

Demolition: Trailer 1

2:12

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Grieving investment banker Davis Mitchell (Jake Gyllenhaal) returns to work after losing his beloved wife in a tragic car accident. After writing a letter to complain about a vending machine, Mitchell receives a phone call from Karen (Naomi Watts), a customer service rep from the company. Karen becomes moved by his complete honesty, while Davis finds someone to lend a sympathetic ear. As his new friendship with Karen and her son grows, Mitchell finds the strength he needs to rebuild his life.

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Producer: Lianne Halfon, Russell Smith, Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, Sidney Kimmel, Jean-Marc Vallée
Screenwriter: Bryan Sipe
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Production Co: Mr. Mudd, Black Label Media, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
Rating: R (Drug Use|Disturbing Behavior|Language|Some Sexual References)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 8, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 3, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.8M
Runtime: 1h 41m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Most Popular at Home Now