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Lilting

Play trailer Poster for Lilting 2014 1h 31m Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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82% Tomatometer 57 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
In London, a Cambodian mother mourns her son as she struggles to connect with someone.
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Lilting

Lilting

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Critics Consensus

Skillfully weaving multiple delicate tonal strands into a quietly affecting whole, Lilting serves as a thoroughly compelling calling card for writer-director Hong Khaou.

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Critics Reviews

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Peter Keough Boston Globe A more fitting title for the film would be "Limping." Rated: 2/4 Oct 16, 2014 Full Review Stephanie Merry Washington Post It is, as the title suggests, sweet - but also slight. Rated: 2.5/4 Oct 16, 2014 Full Review Thomas Lee San Francisco Chronicle Guilt hangs over "Lilting," a suffocating haze so thick that it permeates every unspoken, non-understood word between characters trying to traverse a frustrating gulf of language and grief. Rated: 3/4 Oct 16, 2014 Full Review Steve Cruz OUT FRONT Magazine (Denver) Lilting is simple, tender, and touching. May 9, 2023 Full Review Michael J. Casey Michael J. Cinema 'Lilting' is a very polite conversation, and like most polite conversations, adds little to anything. Rated: 2.5/5 Oct 29, 2021 Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com Lilting is a celebratory piece, a rare film that manages to strike the right notes concerning the difficulty we experience interacting and understanding one another. Rated: 3/5 Sep 5, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Sarthak V There was no point of giving the mother a boyfriend. Eliminating that subplot could've given more space to the storyline to develop between her and her son's bf, which was the whole point. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/16/25 Full Review Audience Member Touching film about relationships not often portrayed in film - links to partners' families. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Impressive for a debut film. An interesting subject matter and a great 'romance' you don't normally see - man trying to connect with (essentially) his mother-in-law. Excellent acting all around, great use of languages, and emotionally affecting. Perhaps a little too narrow, a little too platitudinal by the end... but worth the watch if the subject matter interests you. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Absolutely beautiful! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member you wanna cry? then watch lilting. lovely story that is precious, heartbreaking, subtle and sensitive. the characters are easy on the eyes and live a quiet peaceful existence that will have you feeling connected in the softest of ways. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Audience Member It's not often movies are able to handle such sensitive issues in a delicate way, with the narrative often polarizing either towards the lukewarm or the provocative. This film manages to stay poignant throughout, brimming with thematic respect and the three main characters excelling at their respective roles. There were some continuity issues detracting from the otherwise beautiful flow but if you can forgive the very few flaws, you will enjoy this unadorned fable of banding together the unlikely in a bid to cope and absolve. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Lilting

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Cast & Crew

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Hong Khaou

Director

Ben Whishaw

Actor

Morven Christie

Actor

Peter Bowles

Actor

Cheng Pei-pei

Actor

Andrew Leung

Actor

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Lilting

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Movie Info

Synopsis In London, a Cambodian mother mourns her son as she struggles to connect with someone.
Director
Hong Khaou
Producer
Dominic Buchanan
Screenwriter
Hong Khaou
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Production Co
Lilting Production, SUMS Film and Media, London Film Productions, Dominic Buchanan Productions, Stink Films, Microwave, BBC Film
Genre
Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 26, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 12, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$26.7K
Runtime
1h 31m
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