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The Idiots

Play trailer Poster for The Idiots R Released May 30, 1998 1h 55m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
72% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Karen (Bodil Jørgensen) is dining alone at a crowded restaurant when a group of people who seem to be mentally disabled enter and disrupt everyone's meal. Discerning that they are not what they seem, Karen returns with the group to the large communal house they inhabit with charismatic Stoffer (Jens Albinus). This group of intellectuals is attempting to challenge bourgeois ideology by behaving like "idiots" in public. Karen, however, may take the act further than any of them had planned.
The Idiots

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The Idiots feels more like an experiment than a coherent narrative, but director Lars von Trier's provocative style and rumination on civilization will leave most audience members feeling like satisfied test subjects.

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Critics Reviews

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian The Idiots works as a situationist provocation about a situationist provocation, though claiming the sentimental high ground at the end. Rated: 3/5 Aug 16, 2023 Full Review Globe and Mail Rated: 3/4 Mar 19, 2002 Full Review Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times The Idiots suggests that if Danish iconoclast Lars von Trier's filmsare getting tougher, they're also continuing to reward the patient. Rated: 3.5/5 Feb 14, 2001 Full Review Gilbert Adair Independent on Sunday Not everyone's cup of tea and, indeed, not a cup of tea at all, but one of those extremely rare films that aren't content to leave the cinema as they found it. Nov 27, 2017 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com The first Dogme film of enfant terrible Lars von Trier challenges viewers to reexamine their social mores and cinema habits of voyeurism and pleasure. Rated: B Jul 16, 2009 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 5/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (550) audience reviews
Leaburn O A good ending and some very good scenes but it just makes no actual sense except the one character. So…nah not for me. Watched on DVD. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/02/24 Full Review Dani G Is this a mock from Lars Von Trier? We know you're a transgressor and provocateur, but c'mon! Do something good at least Rated 1 out of 5 stars 09/16/23 Full Review David H "The Idiots" sounds like a film about movie critics! Rated 1 out of 5 stars 07/22/23 Full Review Jens B Es kostet schon etwas Überwindung, sich zwei Stunden lang dieser Dogma 95-Kacke (sorry, not sorry) auszuliefern. Doch so froh ich über von Triers Abkehr von seinem eigenen Manifest in den letzten Jahren bin, so wundervoll ist doch "Idioten". Die Geschichte ist simpel: Eine Gruppe junger Menschen tut so als wäre sie geistig eingeschränkt. Fertig. Die Zwischen- und Untertöne, die sich aus diesem Setup ergeben sind allerdings erstaunlich feinsinnig (beste Szene: die potenzielle Käuferin des Hauses). Mehrfach hält der Film dem Publikum den Spiegel vor und viele Dinge, die in diesem Film gesagt werden, habe ich genauso während meiner Zeit bei der Lebenshilfe erlebt. Der Film funktioniert also auf mehreren Ebenen, ist erstaunlich lustig und einfühlsam, provoziert genau im richtigen Maß und spricht sehr verschiedene Wahrheiten für unterschiedliche Teile des Publikums aus. Ein bisschen zu lang ist er trotzdem. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/09/22 Full Review Arthur L Through the first watch the beginning part of the film can be quite annoying though the further you get the greater it gets and the finale - touching and emotional.Von Trier is a master. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/27/22 Full Review william d There was a nice little twist at the end that almost justifies the previous 100 minutes. Almost, but not quite. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Idiots

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Movie Info

Synopsis Karen (Bodil Jørgensen) is dining alone at a crowded restaurant when a group of people who seem to be mentally disabled enter and disrupt everyone's meal. Discerning that they are not what they seem, Karen returns with the group to the large communal house they inhabit with charismatic Stoffer (Jens Albinus). This group of intellectuals is attempting to challenge bourgeois ideology by behaving like "idiots" in public. Karen, however, may take the act further than any of them had planned.
Director
Lars von Trier
Producer
Vibeke Windeløv
Screenwriter
Lars von Trier
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures, USA Films
Production Co
Zentropa Entertainment
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
Danish
Release Date (Theaters)
May 30, 1998, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Jul 27, 2004
Box Office (Gross USA)
$7.2K
Runtime
1h 55m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, Surround