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Stray

Released Sep 20, 2016 1h 47m Drama TRAILER for Stray: Trailer 1 List
100% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
A killer decides to settle down and start a family in a small town, and when she finds the right guy, he will help her out whether he wants to or not.
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Stray

Critics Reviews

View All (6) Critics Reviews
Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com It's an excellent debut from Nena Eskridge. Rated: 3.0/4.0 Sep 24, 2020 Full Review Sebastian Zavala Kahn Ventana Indiscreta A twisted story of death and deceit that, despite becoming somewhat incoherent during the third act, leaves the viewer with a satisfying aftertaste. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 3/5 Jun 18, 2020 Full Review Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed An entertaining dark thriller and left me interested in what Nena Eskridge will have to offer audiences down the road. Jul 5, 2017 Full Review Anton Bitel Projected Figures a dark and devastating tale of a broken home and its eternal recurrence for an individual who, having lived there once, has never really been able to leave its malign influence or renegotiate a path to normalcy. May 8, 2017 Full Review Tony Macklin tonymacklin.net Stray is a one-of-a-kind indie film. Rated: 2.5/5 May 1, 2017 Full Review Betty Jo Tucker ReelTalk Movie Reviews The movie boasts excellent production values, realistic performances, and a haunting story that keeps you thinking about the main character long after the end credits roll. Feb 13, 2017 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (11) audience reviews
Anne-Laure M well-thought, well-written and well-filmed psychological film. Definitely worth the watch! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/05/23 Full Review s l There were a few spots where it seemed confusing because it jumped ahead without warning or it took some time to realize something major occurred though there wasn't a scene that showed the progression. But I liked it a lot. It was interesting. The acting was really, really good. The main characters, especially the two female leads, were intense. The psychology of it was fascinating. Just watch it! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Realistic performances?! Well written?! I've seen a lot of movies, folks- don't bother with this one. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member It kept me on the edge of my seat because I never knew what she was going to do! And the ending was really good, the entire movie was good and I'm very picky when it comes to movies. This one was an Indy movie so I'm actually not surprised how good it was. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member A massive ambition of Nena Eskridge's psychological drama "Stray" is found in its aim to elicit equal parts empathy and abhorrence for a presumably-abused female character who also happens to be a recurring murderer. It's a near-impossible task to achieve both at the same time, but somehow, Eskridge's deeply invested and wonderfully nuanced storytelling manages to accomplish that exacting balance in this triumphant indie mind bender. Eskridge's toolkit clearly reflects her immersion in the works of the absolute masters within the psych drama space, as she demonstrates that what's not shown at all - coupled with that which is only subtly hinted at - can be far more powerful than brands of more traditionally overt tale-telling, which all too often can club the viewer over the head with its clarity of intent. Case in point is our introduction to our story driver - Jennifer - played with far-reaching range by Gabrielle Stone: While we're first basking in the warm, bright images of idyllic small town Americana, that facade is soon shattered by Jennifer's violent van escape from an older male captor. We don't need to know more at this stage, so it's a tribute to the director's craft that further backstory is withheld, thereby building layers of intrigue and establishing a foundation for the possibility of viewer empathy as Jennifer attempts to settle into a small town - only to exact continued violence on those she perceives to be in the way of an idealized new life. Are we drawn to the possibility of Jennifer's rehabilitation because we've been given just enough to know she's been subjected to a violent and oppressive earlier life? Or are we dismissive of any chance of her redemption because she continues to exact violence when it's no longer a matter of survival? The answer we find within us is that one doesn't have to be mutually exclusive to the other: There are indeed moments which elicit both empathy and dismissiveness towards Jennifer in this carefully crafted drama, and that is arguably the largest of the many victories Eskridge achieves with her film. The intent and construction of "Stray" runs deep, and its terrific execution somehow manages to meet that standard in what amounts to a fascinating psychological drama. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat awaiting each surprise. Many of the performances were excellent, a few rather wooden. I liked the fact that all blood-and-gore scenes were off-screen which kept the suspense going. Totally worth a watch. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Stray

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Cast & Crew

A Country Called Home 18% 49% A Country Called Home TRAILER for A Country Called Home Mary Goes Round 90% 88% Mary Goes Round Hunter Gatherer 96% 58% Hunter Gatherer Mobile Homes 59% 41% Mobile Homes TRAILER for Mobile Homes Adopt a Highway 70% 69% Adopt a Highway TRAILER for Adopt a Highway Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis A killer decides to settle down and start a family in a small town, and when she finds the right guy, he will help her out whether he wants to or not.
Director
Nena Eskridge
Producer
Nena Eskridge
Screenwriter
Nena Eskridge
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 20, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 15, 2016
Runtime
1h 47m
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