Piercing

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2:20

Piercing

R

2019

1h 21m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

72%

Tomatometer

99 Reviews

44%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

After kissing his wife and baby goodbye for a seemingly normal business trip, Reed checks himself into a hotel room to accomplish something he's always dreamed of: the perfect murder. As his sinister plans unfold, he soon realizes he might be in over his head with a mysteriously unhinged call girl named Jackie.

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Critics Consensus

Stylish with a sadistic streak, Piercing pairs gripping lead performances with a smartly macabre story that delivers unpredictable thrills.

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Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

I was genuinely, in the best sense, jaw-dropped.

Feb 16, 2019

Full Review

Ed Potton

The Times (UK)

Ultimately, you just don't really care what happens to these two, and the additions of trippy hallucinations, mid-level bondage, tentacled minibeasts and lines such as "I want you to wear my skin" don't help.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 15, 2019

Full Review

Elena Lazic

Little White Lies

Ending just as its long-teased crescendo of reciprocal madness begins, Piercing is a little too smart for its own good.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 15, 2019

Full Review

Bryce Hanson

Horror Movie Talk

Piercing balances psychological horror and dark comedy adeptly while maintaining a fresh yet familiar style.

Rated: 7/10

Aug 11, 2025

Full Review

Bianca Garner

Filmotomy

Piercing may not be the film for everyone (the violence and tone may offend some), but it is worth seeking out if you're a fan of late 70s/early 80s horror. Stylish, darkly funny, and truly depraved, Piercing is the definition of a cult classic.

Oct 11, 2024

Full Review

Dan Schindel

Vague Visages

Piercing plays out Reed and Jackie’s tryst as a sadomasochistic Punch and Judy routine, with the flare-ups of violence equally funny and horrifying.

Dec 6, 2023

Full Review

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Gert-Jan B

Hi Gert-Jan Burghart here from the Netherland, love piercings, special my Prince Albert!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/07/24

Full Review

Cristian s

Destaca visualmente por la gama de colores o alguna otra cosita, buenas actuaciones y al principio te engancha.. Pero es mala, con un ritmo que apesta, aburrida por muchos momentos y sencillamente olvidable.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/15/24

Full Review

Nina E

This movie tries to be a giallo. It even has a couple of tracks from Goblin in its soundtrack reminiscent of the original Suspiria. It appears to be set in the late analog era, and that makes sense considering it is based on a novel written in 1994. The movie is visually pleasing but I can't say much about the plot. A neurotic man wants to kill a sex worker but he chickens out. That is a smart choice for his sake but it makes for a bland ending. I liked it anyways and most people will probably like it too just because it's paced very well and the visuals are amazing.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/18/23

Full Review

Emilliano S

Over weird, gruesome but lacks in coherent.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Cool giallo imitation for real giallo fans! Nice!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Fucking brilliant and aesthetically out of this world.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

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Nicolas Pesce

Director

Christopher Abbott

Reed

Mia Wasikowska

Jackie

Laia Costa

Mona

Marin Ireland

Chevonne

Maria Dizzia

Reed's Mother

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Synopsis

After kissing his wife and baby goodbye for a seemingly normal business trip, Reed checks himself into a hotel room to accomplish something he's always dreamed of: the perfect murder. As his sinister plans unfold, he soon realizes he might be in over his head with a mysteriously unhinged call girl named Jackie.

Director: Nicolas Pesce
Producer: Antonio Campos, Josh Mond, Jacob Wasserman, Schuyler Weiss
Screenwriter: Nicolas Pesce
Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment
Production Co: Borderline Films, YL Pictures
Rating: R (Language|Aberrant Violent Content|Aberrant Sexual Content|Nudity)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 1, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 16, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.2K
Runtime: 1h 21m

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