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The Rule of Jenny Pen

Play trailer Poster for The Rule of Jenny Pen R 1h 43m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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64% Tomatometer 11 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Verified Ratings
Arrogant Judge Stefan Mortensen suffers a near-fatal stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed and confined to a retirement home. Resistant to the staff and distant from his friendly roommate, Mortensen soon clashes with seemingly gentle resident Dave Crealy who secretly terrorizes the home with a sadistic game called "The Rule of Jenny Pen" while wielding his dementia doll as an instrument of cruelty. What begins as childish torment quickly escalates into far more sinister and disturbing incidents. When Mortensen's pleas to the staff go unanswered, he takes it upon himself to put an end to Crealy's reign of terror.

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Critics Reviews

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Brian Tallerico RogerEbert.com It’s a deeply exaggerated, unbelievable world of catatonic old people. Sep 27, 2024 Full Review Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle The knockout performances make the The Rule of Jenny Pen worth seeing, but there is not much more substance propping up this endeavor. Sep 26, 2024 Full Review Alison Foreman indieWire What begins as an atypical use of two beloved actors gets more messy than complex in The Rule of Jenny Pen. And yet, the undaunted director, Ashcroft, approaches his vision with palpable conviction. Rated: B- Sep 23, 2024 Full Review Kat Hughes THN Some will struggle with the elder abuse content, but subject matter aside, The Rule of Jenny Pen is worth watching for the phenomenal performances of Rush and Lithgow alone. Rated: 4/5 Nov 1, 2024 Full Review Alex Billington FirstShowing.net This is such a bonkers horror concept that shouldn't really work at all, but it does, oh it totally does, especially with this great cast and this filmmaker. Rated: 9.5/10 Oct 16, 2024 Full Review Tessa Smith Mama's Geeky Both Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow give incredible performances, but the film never fully gets where it is going. Multiple twists are set up, but never delivered, causing it to feel unfinished. It has its chillling moments, but not enough to save it. Oct 8, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Arrogant Judge Stefan Mortensen suffers a near-fatal stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed and confined to a retirement home. Resistant to the staff and distant from his friendly roommate, Mortensen soon clashes with seemingly gentle resident Dave Crealy who secretly terrorizes the home with a sadistic game called "The Rule of Jenny Pen" while wielding his dementia doll as an instrument of cruelty. What begins as childish torment quickly escalates into far more sinister and disturbing incidents. When Mortensen's pleas to the staff go unanswered, he takes it upon himself to put an end to Crealy's reign of terror.
Director
James Ashcroft
Producer
Catherine Fitzgerald, Orlando Stewart
Screenwriter
James Ashcroft, Eli Kent
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Light in the Dark Productions, Blueskin Films
Rating
R (Sexual Assault|Violent Content|Some Language)
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 7, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 43m