The Snowtown Murders

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The Snowtown Murders

Released Mar 2, 2012

2h 0m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

85%

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74 Reviews

66%

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5,000+ Ratings

A charismatic but violent predator (Daniel Henshall) takes his girlfriend's teenage son (Lucas Pittaway) under his wing and makes him an accomplice in a murder spree.

Critics Consensus

It's a bleak and brutal endurance test, but for viewers with the strength and patience to make it to the end, Snowtown will prove an uncommonly powerful viewing experience.

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Jyoti Roy

Bitch Media

The film is a fascinating psychological study, both on the effects on the audience and the arc of the characters as we are see them (and ourselves) slowly consumed by this bleak, murderous, poverty stricken town in rural Australia.

Jan 12, 2021

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

The grimy social realism and gurgling torture scenes place director Justin Kurzel's startling debut midway between Animal Kingdom and Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 19, 2012

Full Review

Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

Your appreciation of this Australian horror movie will depend on whether you think its artistry justifies its unrelenting ugliness.

Mar 15, 2012

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Murder Made Fiction Podcast - Bloody Disgusting

Director Kurzel and screenwriter Grant adapt the horrifying true story of the Snowtown (aka the "bodies in the barrels") murders. It's an incredibly difficult - but important - watch and features a terrifying performance by Daniel Henshall

Rated: 4.5/5

Mar 18, 2025

Full Review

Kat Hughes

THN

Stark, gloomy, and fuelled with anguish and despair, Snowtown is an unrelenting film that once watched, will never be forgotten.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 3, 2022

Full Review

Rob Aldam

Backseat Mafia

The great strength of Snowtown, aside from superb acting performances, is the way it shows how domination, fear and control operate on vulnerable people.

Jan 27, 2022

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Alan C

Brutal and excellent.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/25

Full Review

Ian S

Incredible performances and direction make for bleak and real viewing. The film leaves nowhere to hide from the horrors of abuse, murder and the power that some people hold over others.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/09/24

Full Review

Georgan G

Horrific situation which shows the level of manipulation some twisted people will go to. The fact that this was a true story make it even worse.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/10/24

Full Review

liam h

This is a great movie. It looks deeply into the workings of a manipulative mind and the people who are willingly manipulated. It also offered an unfiltered insite to the day to day workings of an under engaged community.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/24

Full Review

Marcus E

I had no idea what this was or if it was fiction. Heard about it on a podcast and gave it a go. Tough tough watch. It took me three days to watch this and I almost gave up on it several times. It was not a pleasing watch or style.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

David H

A hauntingly real movie about fear and manipulation. The acting is some of the best I've seen. I also really like the score. Can be slow at times but in my opinion it adds to the atmosphere. Credit to the Aussies, they know how to make a damn good movie every once in a while.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/28/23

Full Review

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Synopsis

A charismatic but violent predator (Daniel Henshall) takes his girlfriend's teenage son (Lucas Pittaway) under his wing and makes him an accomplice in a murder spree.

Director: Justin Kurzel
Producer: Sarah Shaw, Anna McLeish
Screenwriter: Justin Kurzel, Shaun Grant
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: South Australian Film Corporation, Screen Australia, Warp Films Australia
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 2, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.0K
Runtime: 2h 0m

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