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Misunderstood

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Misunderstood

Released Sep 25, 2015

1h 43m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

16 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

In 1984, 9-year-old Aria is mistreated by her family until she reaches the limit of what she can bear.

Peter Sobczynski

RogerEbert.com

An occasionally strange, occasionally brutal and occasionally lovely work that goes up on the shelf with "The Ocean of Helena Lee" and "Girlhood" as one of the more impressive coming-of-age tales of recent times.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 25, 2015

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Manohla Dargis

New York Times

Ms. Argento has a florid visual style, and she likes turning up the heat.

Sep 24, 2015

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Adam Nayman

AV Club

The ostensible boldness of Misunderstood is undermined by the sense that it's also pandering-that its view of childhood as a bourgeois horror-show is at least as salable on the art-house circuit as it is authentic to its creator's experiences.

Rated: C+

Sep 24, 2015

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Diego Batlle

Otroscines.com

Between the portrait of a dysfunctional family, the criticism of machismo, the lucid observations on school dynamics and sexual awakening, Misunderstood confirms Argento... as a director of enormous power and talent. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

Sep 20, 2023

Full Review

Jorge Ayala Blanco

El Universal

Asia Argento takes full advantage of this original tale of children's psychology, [Full review in Spanish]

Oct 1, 2015

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Verónica Sánchez Marín

En Filme

Imaginative, spontaneous and lots of fun. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

Sep 25, 2015

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Audience Member

A bold and brutally honest look at a traumatic childhood suffering from a dysfunctional and broken family. A 9 year old girl who feels rejected and betrayed by all who love her but only conditionally and only as long as it suits them. She acts out and is kicked out and sent on a path to self destruction. But the story makes it clear that she's not a victim but someone who is doing her best to survive and find happiness despite her circumstances.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/12/25

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Brenda S

An amazing portrayal of an incredibly dysfunctional family right down to narcissistic parents mistreating and throwing away children they should have never had in the first place. Incredible acting; if each character doesn't elicit a strong emotional response from you, you're the problem.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/12/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Asia Argento ha scelto Garko per il suo film solo per la battuta "Che cane" della Gainsbourg.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

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Asia Argento

Director

Giulia Salerno

Aria

Charlotte Gainsbourg

Madre

Gabriel Garko

Padre

Carolina Poccioni

Lucrezia

Anna Lou Castoldi

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Synopsis

In 1984, 9-year-old Aria is mistreated by her family until she reaches the limit of what she can bear.

Director: Asia Argento
Producer: Lorenzo Mieli, Mario Gianani, Eric Heumann, Maurice Kantor
Screenwriter: Asia Argento, Barbara Alberti
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Orange Studio, Paradis Films, Wildside
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Italian
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 25, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 4, 2017
Runtime: 1h 43m

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