John and the Hole

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1:36

John and the Hole

R

Released Aug 6, 2021

1h 44m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

59%

Tomatometer

127 Reviews

24%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

A desperate game of survival unfolds after 13-year-old John traps his family in a hole in the ground in this unsettling psychological thriller.

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Critics Consensus

John and the Hole's enticingly unique premise and disquieting atmosphere are often at odds with a meandering story that prevents this thriller from fulfilling its creepy potential.

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Clarisse Loughrey

Independent (UK)

It's both tantalising and deliberately unsatisfying. You're never given the comfort of knowing what comes next.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 13, 2021

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Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

While the result may not be quite as deep as the cavern at the centre of the story, it has an enticing sliver of ice at its heart.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 10, 2021

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

A sterile, supercilious, derivative exercise in sub-Euro-arthouse ordeal. But there is no ordeal because nothing is at stake.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 6, 2021

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…John in the Hole is absolutely infuriating…an open-ended story that, for one reason or another, the film-makers have absolutely refused to resolve…

Rated: 2/5

Oct 2, 2024

Full Review

Rory Doherty

InSession Film

Sisto wants you to engage with his film as a piece of fiction – asking us what it says thematically and what lessons the story is trying to teach us.

Rated: A

Jun 13, 2024

Full Review

Aaron Neuwirth

Why So Blu

While not groundbreaking, it’s the sort of film that can be watched and appreciated for what it attempts to do while being frustrating at the same time.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 3, 2023

Full Review

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Mary

Terrible movie, everyone in the theater was making comments…..including us. People behind said that was 2 hours of wasted time she can never get back. Others ‘F’d up waste of money’

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/06/21

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Kerri D.

This was a fascinating story of a troubled tween boy in a privileged family who wanted to understand adulthood and life and his place in it. The secondary story of Lily made zero sense but was a very small part of the film. I would recommend this film for anyone who can relate to tween struggles of how they fit into life.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/09/25

Full Review

It's T

It’s not horrible but there was not type of story to it! Also, what did the woman and little girl have to do with it! I gave it 3.5 because it kept me interested but other than that there is not type of story to it

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

Full Review

Spike D

How do you even begin to review a film as unusual as this?

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

Full Review

Tim M

This was an extremely boring movie with a horrible plot line... struggled so hard trying to understand what the lady and girl had anything to do with this? This would of made a fantastic short film. 15 or 20 mins max. All the filler scenes made no sense. I thought they were going somewhere with the 2 boys trying to drown each other.... made absolutely no sense and I love it's psychological thrillers. This was not it.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/26/25

Full Review

M D

Waste of time! I kept watching to see if anything worthwhile would happen, but was sorely disappointed. The mini-story seemed more interesting.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/15/25

Full Review

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Pascual Sisto

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Charlie Shotwell

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Brad

Taissa Farmiga

Laurie

Jennifer Ehle

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John and the Hole: Trailer 1

1:36

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Synopsis

A desperate game of survival unfolds after 13-year-old John traps his family in a hole in the ground in this unsettling psychological thriller.

Director: Pascual Sisto
Producer: Elika Portnoy, Alex Orlovsky, Michael Bowes
Screenwriter: Nicolás Giacobone
Production Co: IFC Films, Mutressa Movies, 3311 Productions
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 6, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 6, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.0K
Runtime: 1h 44m

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