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The Tenant

Play trailer Poster for The Tenant R Released May 26, 1976 2h 5m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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84% Tomatometer 37 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
In Paris, isolated Eastern European émigré Trelkovsky (Roman Polanski) rents an apartment in a spooky old building whose inhabitants regard him with suspicion and even outright hostility. When he learns that the apartment's previous tenant, a beautiful woman, tried to commit suicide by jumping out the window, Trelkovsky begins to identify with her in increasingly disturbing ways. Then, to make matters even worse, he reaches the conclusion that his new neighbors are plotting to kill him.
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The Tenant

The Tenant

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Critics Consensus

A rough-edged thriller that lacks the precision of Polanski's best work, but makes up for it with its skillful mounting of paranoia, dread, and dark themes.

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Critics Reviews

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Penelope Gilliatt The New Yorker The Tenant is a poetic nightmare about punishment imposed on an unguilty man who merely entertained great fear of guilt. Jan 23, 2024 Full Review Kim Newman Empire Magazine A disturbing and poignant anthology of Roman Polanski's favourite, oppressive themes. Rated: 4/5 Feb 18, 2010 Full Review Variety Staff Variety It has a humorous tang, underlying the macabre. Oct 18, 2008 Full Review Steve Warren The Barb (Atlanta) It's strange stuff, and too subtle for people who like The Exorcist and The Omen, but The Tenant is a real horror movie. May 9, 2023 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Absorbing but not recommended for those looking for an easy good time. Rated: B Nov 29, 2022 Full Review David Dugas United Press International If only Polanski, who collaborated with Gerard Brach on the script, had not let this parable on paranoia become so predictable and preposterous. Well before the end, The Tenant succumbs to meaningless and therefore boring hokum. Aug 3, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Lorenzo D Please watch it. It's a masterpiece Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/29/24 Full Review Blu B All Time Classic. There is effectively only one death and it's not even onscreen. This doesn't need gore, exploitation, jump scares, or shock value because it's such an original and twisted idea. The core idea is so relatable whether you live in an apartment, dorm, or even in a house on a street. You have to ask yourself how do you know the people who live around you? Most of the time you barely speak to them within a block or two radius. Let alone the entire neighborhood. It lets your imagination run wild as too what they could be like and this runs wild with it in the most original and twisted way possible. On top of that, this is brilliantly directed. Masterful editing, excellent cinematography, an a perfectly paced buildup. This starts fine enough and takes it's time not being so much a slow burn but building and getting really twisted and creepy with the ideas it's suggests. The music is really good though not used a lot. It's very effective when it is and this really isn't that dry ever. The acting is really good too with Polanski being the standout with a really strong supporting cast. He's kind of pedestrian at first but as it gets weird and twisted the more he shines. The twist is fantastic also and really is worth the payoff. Anyone who is a fan of Polanski, any actors in this, or horror films will like this a lot. One of the most unique horror films I've ever seen. It's Rosemary's Baby mixed with rear Window effectively. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/11/24 Full Review Alec B It is interesting that the movie is more well liked now than it was upon its original release. I think the reason is that it's arthouse and anxiety vibes horrors are more of our moment than they were in the 70s. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/27/24 Full Review Sams K A good one, I didn't appreciate it that much, but still a good one. Maybe I need a rematch. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/02/24 Full Review Wayne K The last film Roman Polanski made before becoming a societal pariah, The Tenant seems him making not just an onscreen appearance, but actually playing the lead role. This was an odd choice, and doesn't necessarily work to the films advantage. He does well as the meek and mild mannered individual at the beginning, but he doesn't have the acting range or the charisma to truly sell his descent into madness. He does, however, direct the film very well. There's lot of mirrors, reflections and close up shots that make us feel like we're being watched. It's a film about the effect that constant browbeating, harassment and bullying can have on a person, even one as outwardly kind as our protagonist. It creates a lingering sense of dread and paranoia, and you try your best to put the puzzle pieces in place before our lead completely loses his mind. It does take a long time to start paying off, and some scenes feel more redundant than creepy, but as a subtle horror film that slowly draws you in before hitting you square in the face, The Tenant makes for a suitably unnerving experience. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/18/24 Full Review Regina P It was okay... I was hoping to see something more like Rosemary's Baby. I thought it was going there, but then it didn't. It didn't look like the tenants had anything to do with this guy's mind trip. I thought the story itself was clever, but I don't know what to do with it. What actually happened here? I have no idea, but the story was entertaining nonetheless. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 11/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis In Paris, isolated Eastern European émigré Trelkovsky (Roman Polanski) rents an apartment in a spooky old building whose inhabitants regard him with suspicion and even outright hostility. When he learns that the apartment's previous tenant, a beautiful woman, tried to commit suicide by jumping out the window, Trelkovsky begins to identify with her in increasingly disturbing ways. Then, to make matters even worse, he reaches the conclusion that his new neighbors are plotting to kill him.
Director
Roman Polanski
Producer
Andrew Braunsberg
Screenwriter
Gérard Brach, Roman Polanski
Production Co
Marianne Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 26, 1976, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jun 11, 1976
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$9.6K
Runtime
2h 5m
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