The Righteous

Play trailer

1:53

The Righteous

2021

1h 37m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

52 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

A unique and darkly engaging spiritual thriller, strikingly shot in black and white, The Righteous tells the story of Frederic (Henry Czerny) a grieving man struggling with his faith, who helps an injured young man, Aaron Smith (Mark O'Brien) who stumbles onto his property one night, claiming to be lost in the woods. Frederic and his wife (Mimi Kuzyk) invite the man to stay for the night, but Frederic soon begins to have doubts about this enigmatic stranger's story -- and his motives for being there. When Aaron asks Frederic to commit an unspeakable deed, it becomes clear that the man is not who he seems, and has been sent to test the very limits of Frederic's existence.

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Critics Consensus

Assured work from writer-director Mark O'Brien and Henry Czerny's powerhouse performance put The Righteous a cut above the average supernatural thriller.

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Tomris Laffly

RogerEbert.com

Meandering around complex spiritual inklings more than it makes a coherent statement out of them, The Righteous manages to impress with its curious demeanor even when its overwrought ideas don’t add up to an articulate whole in the aftermath.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 10, 2022

Full Review

Noel Murray

Los Angeles Times

This movie’s a must for anyone who enjoys seeing terrific actors given the space to explore their characters’ pain — and to spin riveting moments out of rich words and subtle moods.

Jun 10, 2022

Full Review

Leslie Felperin

Guardian

Sure, this is a talky movie, big on debates and low on action, and may feel somewhat theatrical – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially when the performances are this subtle, expressive and electric.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 7, 2022

Full Review

Kyle Logan

Castle of Chills

The Righteous is exciting not only because it’s a painfully tense and thought-provoking film (which it certainly is), but also because it announces an astounding new talent in Mark O’Brien.

Jul 11, 2024

Full Review

Nuha Hassan

Off Colour

If you’re looking for an exciting addition to the horror genre, The Righteous nails it. With complex themes and a character-driven storyline it manages to keep the audience curious til the end.

Jul 20, 2023

Full Review

Carlos Ovalle

But Why Tho? A Geek Community

The Righteous starts intense and intriguing, but it ultimately feels like a stage play that went on for too long.

Rated: 7.5/10

Jan 22, 2023

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Tom L

Excellently executed mood piece about guilt and existential dread. A lapsed Catholic priest and his wife are dealing with the tragic death of their daughter. The narrative gradually unfolds that a young woman is the biological mother whose child they have raised. Then a mysterious strange arrives late at night and is seemingly injured so the couple take him in. He goes from being a bit off to being downright menacing, and it becomes clear that he is in some way a revenant of the ex-priest’s guilty past. The film is beautifully shot in black and white with a low-key creepy score, and is equal parts subtly suspenseful, melancholy, and mystical. Some questions are left unanswered and the ending is an enigma.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/14/25

Full Review

nina n

It's easy to guess what's going on here, but it doesn't matter - it's a must-see for the acting and everything else. Curiously, the almost gothic atmosphere of the picture made me think of the magnificent and terrible film ‘It's Difficult to Be a God’ (directed by Alexei Guerman), and not only because it was shot in black and white...

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/21/25

Full Review

Rich C

Nice film. Worth the watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/29/25

Full Review

Logan D

Mourning their recently deceased daughter, a priest and his wife (Henry Czerny, Mimi Kuzyk) allow a stranger (dir. O'Brien) with questionable motives enter their household. The film possesses an intense spirituality, grounding horror in real life occurrences as well as the supernatural. Although it never answers the question one of the characters asks, "Can you tell me what the voice of God sounds like?" it does address accountability and features some great acting.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/18/25

Full Review

Tyler B

Wrestiling with faith has never looked so good.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/20/25

Full Review

Michelle N

One of my favorite horror films of the year. Been a fan Mark O’Brien’s acting and now I’m a huge fan of his writing and directing. Loved the look and feel of this. Every frame felt so intentional. Brilliant cinematography, score, and performances from the entire cast. Can’t wait to see what O’Brien does next.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/11/24

Full Review

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Mark O'Brien

Director

Henry Czerny

Frederic Mason

Mimi Kuzyk

Ethel Mason

Mark O'Brien

Aaron Smith

Mayko Nguyen

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The Righteous: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A unique and darkly engaging spiritual thriller, strikingly shot in black and white, The Righteous tells the story of Frederic (Henry Czerny) a grieving man struggling with his faith, who helps an injured young man, Aaron Smith (Mark O'Brien) who stumbles onto his property one night, claiming to be lost in the woods. Frederic and his wife (Mimi Kuzyk) invite the man to stay for the night, but Frederic soon begins to have doubts about this enigmatic stranger's story -- and his motives for being there. When Aaron asks Frederic to commit an unspeakable deed, it becomes clear that the man is not who he seems, and has been sent to test the very limits of Frederic's existence.

Director: Mark O'Brien
Producer: Mark O'Neill, Allison White
Screenwriter: Mark O'Brien
Production Co: Panoramic Pictures
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 10, 2022
Runtime: 1h 37m

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