Palindromes

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Palindromes

Released Apr 13, 2005

1h 40m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

43%

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117 Reviews

69%

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5,000+ Ratings

An underage girl horrifies her parents by getting pregnant, then runs away after they force her to have an abortion.

Critics Consensus

Unique but cold.

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Empire Magazine

Rated: 2/5

Apr 1, 2006

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Geoff Pevere

Toronto Star

The movie's oppressive atmosphere of flatly rendered, all-consuming determinism leaves it sparkless, pointless and ultimately not very funny.

Rated: 2.5/4

May 13, 2005

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Stephen Cole

Globe and Mail

In its own peculiar way, it is a more compassionate and useful religious document than Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 13, 2005

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Todd Solondz, backward and forward, is simply an outstanding, courageous storyteller and a unique, insightful, and gifted director.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 19, 2020

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Tim Brayton

Alternate Ending

It seems stuck entirely at the level of "what would happen if we tried..."

Rated: 2.5/5

Sep 16, 2018

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Sean Nelson

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Nothing about Palindromes is easy to resolve. This should come as great news for fans of Todd Solondz.

Aug 23, 2017

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Steve D

I just don't get this writer at all.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/01/24

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Connie

Absolutely amazing. You have to be mature for this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/24/23

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Dave S

Anyone interested in entering the strange world of Todd Solondz should probably start with anything other than Palindromes. An acquired taste at the best of times, Palindromes is consistent in many ways with his other films – uncomfortable themes, awkward characters, unusual storylines, a laconic but effective directing style, and enough general weirdness to keep your interest. This time around, Aviva (played by a bunch of different actors), a 13-year-old girl, desperately wants a child. When she becomes pregnant, her parents convince her to have an abortion, which ultimately results in a hysterectomy. When she runs away, she finds herself lost in a world she doesn't understand. While the subject matter (abortion, pedophilia, alienation) is enough to turn a lot of viewers off, it is ultimately Solondz' unique style that audiences will be forced to make a verdict on. A Solondz movie is either a love it or hate it affair, it would seem.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/16/23

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cinephile f

This film is a piece of art. It is very extreme and is excellent and not for everybody. I absolutely recommend it but you may have to watch it more than once to get it. Soldonz is such a brilliant director. I wish Hollywood did more stuff like this rather than just putting out marketing driven superhero 'films' that are simply about making $$$.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Andrew F

Solondz's best film and personal top 10 film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/04/22

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william d

Lacks the humor of Solondz' first two films, but still interesting nonetheless.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Todd Solondz

Director

Ellen Barkin

Joyce Victor

Stephen Adly Guirgis

Joe

Jennifer Jason Leigh

'Mark' Aviva

Emani Sledge

'Dawn' Aviva

Valerie Shusterov

'Judah' Aviva

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Synopsis

An underage girl horrifies her parents by getting pregnant, then runs away after they force her to have an abortion.

Director: Todd Solondz
Producer: Mike S. Ryan, Derrick Tseng
Screenwriter: Todd Solondz
Production Co: Extra Large Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 13, 2005, Limited
Release Date (DVD): Feb 5, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $553.4K
Runtime: 1h 40m
Sound Mix: Surround