The Nightingale

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The Nightingale

R

2019

2h 16m

Mystery & Thriller

Adventure

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

241 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Verified Ratings

Clare, a young Irish convict, chases a British officer through the rugged Tasmanian wilderness and is bent on revenge for a terrible act of violence the man committed against her family. On the way, she enlists the services of Aboriginal tracker Billy, who is marked by trauma from his own violence-filled past.

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Critics Consensus

The Nightingale definitely isn't for all tastes, but writer-director Jennifer Kent taps into a rich vein of palpable rage to tell a war story that leaves a bruising impact.

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Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

Kent's deglamorized, relentlessly unpleasant depiction of suffering couldn't be further from the adolescent glee of Tarantino's films. Still, there's something vaguely two-faced about Kent's revenge narrative.

Mar 10, 2020

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Clarisse Loughrey

Independent (UK)

Jennifer Kent's The Nightingale is a film that bruises the soul.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 6, 2019

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Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

It's impressive.

Dec 4, 2019

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Julian Singleton

Cinapse

The Nightingale’s dedication towards historical reckoning is brutally effective, as is Kent’s refreshing subversion of revenge tropes.

Jul 12, 2025

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Calum Cooper

Source (Scotland)

If wrath doesn’t best some up The Nightingale then no other word can do it justice. Jennifer Kent has made another terrific film which only further demonstrates how exciting a voice she will be going forward into the new decade.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 14, 2024

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Ben Flanagan

Vague Visages

"'The Nightingale' is a rich and vivid work from a director whose bold vision accounts for its brutality."

Sep 20, 2023

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Donna

I thought it was terrible. There were 3 older ladys sitting beside me at theater and they all 3 got up and left after about 15 minutes into the movie. The movie was nothing like I thought it would be. Waste of my hard earned money.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/10/19

Full Review

sherry

Great suspense! Loved it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/09/19

Full Review

I. Rex

Visceral and real and off the scale brutal. DO NOT GO INTO THIS ONE LIGHTLY. This is a savage watch. If you can stomach horrific violence both physically and psychologically its worth viewing. Franciosi and Ganambarr are both excellent and should be commended for performing so well in what was certainly a grueling production.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/12/19

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Dan L

Genuinely one of the most harrowing pieces of cinema I have ever experienced! From the moment it begins it never relents in its unfathomable intensity! There aren’t words for how incredible this film is!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/11/19

Full Review

Yuliya G

The most disturbing, savage, brutal movie I’ve seen in the past 10 years. It was very well done for what it was and the meaning it wanted to achieve. The Babadook is a happy children’s movie compared to this.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/27/25

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Jen G

mostly pointless brutality with poor acting and barely any plot. would not watch again and would not recommend.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/17/25

Full Review

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Jennifer Kent

Director

Aisling Franciosi

Clare

Sam Claflin

Hawkins

Baykali Ganambarr

Billy

Damon Herriman

Ruse

Harry Greenwood

Jago

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The Nightingale: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Clare, a young Irish convict, chases a British officer through the rugged Tasmanian wilderness and is bent on revenge for a terrible act of violence the man committed against her family. On the way, she enlists the services of Aboriginal tracker Billy, who is marked by trauma from his own violence-filled past.

Director: Jennifer Kent
Producer: Kristina Ceyton, Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky, Jennifer Kent
Screenwriter: Jennifer Kent
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Causeway Films, FilmNation Entertainment
Rating: R (Rape|Language Throughout|Brief Sexuality|Strong Disturbing Content|Strong Violent Content)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Adventure, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 2, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 25, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $400.2K
Runtime: 2h 16m
Aspect Ratio: Academy (1.33:1)

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