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The Truth About Emanuel

Play trailer Poster for The Truth About Emanuel 2013 1h 36m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
41% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 35% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
A troubled teen (Kaya Scodelario) befriends a new neighbor (Jessica Biel) who resembles the teen's late mother and is adrift in a fragile, fictional world of her own creation.

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The Truth About Emanuel

Critics Reviews

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Christy Lemire RogerEbert.com 01/10/2014
1.5/4
The universal truths Gregorini ostensibly hopes to unearth here actually end up feeling more than a little murky. Go to Full Review Annlee Ellingson Los Angeles Times 01/10/2014
Tackling the pain of motherhood and guilt of daughterhood, director Francesca Gregorini builds unbearable tension into scenes that otherwise risk tilting toward melodrama. Go to Full Review Kyle Smith New York Post 01/10/2014
1/4
A film so self-serious that it demands to be remade as a Seth MacFarlane farce, "The Truth About Emanuel" mixes the ludicrous and the pretentious in a story about mommy issues gone wild. Go to Full Review Erin Tatum Bitch Flicks Jul 8
When viewed as a commentary on loss and mental illness, the story becomes poignant and heartbreaking. Go to Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens 01/08/2020
Although some of the dialogue feels forced and repetitive at times with some reactions trope and stilted, The Truth About Emanuel casts a rich and lingering specter on one's own thoughts long after the curtain falls. Go to Full Review Jason Best Movie Talk 09/06/2014
Part coming-of-age drama, part offbeat psychological thriller, The Truth About Emanuel does not entirely pull off its unusual story but is well worth watching for the spark generated by leads Kaya Scodelario and Jessica Biel. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Melissa L @Agent99 Mar 22 It was a very poignant movie, and I liked the ending. Ignore the low ratings! See more isla s @RT89656869 09/04/2022 This is a reasonably sinister film. The plot became a bit predictable maybe half way through but I still found it a good watch all the same. The performances are quite good. Its very much a psychological drama/thriller, rather than a horror (or other genre). I liked the sinister sounding music used in the background of some scenes. Its also a bit atmospheric at times as well. Overall this is a mostly decent watch - not a bad film, not a great one either. I suppose its worth a watch if it sounds really interesting but don't expect it to be entirely original. Its better than it could have been mainly thanks to the special effects, music and performances. Its a little cheesy once or twice but other than that and the predictability issue, there's little to complain about. See more 01/12/2020 Left me with a cloud of emotions you rarely feel... unless having watched a powerful movie See more 11/19/2016 I was hoping for a bit more psychotic behavior from one or more of the characters. See more 04/05/2016 Real, demanding and truthful. Painful most of all. See more 03/28/2016 The Truth About Emanuel 2014. This is a good film and had the soundtrack been different it could have been a horror movie. This is an easy watch that is also easy on the eyes with three women in varying degrees of crazy. I think movie pays off in the end so viewers aren't left with a big WTF like so many other films of this kind. See more Read all reviews
The Truth About Emanuel

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Cast & Crew

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Francesca Gregorini

Director

Kaya Scodelario

Emanuel

Jessica Biel

Linda

Frances O'Connor

Janice

Jimmi Simpson

Arthur

Aneurin Barnard

Claude

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The Truth About Emanuel

(L-R) Jessica Biel as Linda and Frances O'Connor as Janice in "The Truth About Emanuel." Jessica Biel as Linda in "The Truth About Emanuel." (L-R) Kaya Scodelario as Emanuel and Jessica Biel as Linda in " The Truth About Emanuel." Kaya Scodelario as Emanuel in " The Truth About Emanuel." Kaya Scodelario as Emanuel in " The Truth About Emanuel." (L-R) Jessica Biel as Linda and Kaya Scodelario as Emanuel in " The Truth About Emanuel." (L-R) Kaya Scodelario as Emanuel, Alfred Molina as Dennis and Frances O'Connor as Janice in " The Truth About Emanuel." Kaya Scodelario as Emanuel in " The Truth About Emanuel." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A troubled teen (Kaya Scodelario) befriends a new neighbor (Jessica Biel) who resembles the teen's late mother and is adrift in a fragile, fictional world of her own creation.
Director
Francesca Gregorini
Producer
Francesca Gregorini, Rooney Mara, Matthew R. Brady
Screenwriter
Francesca Gregorini
Production Co
MRB Productions, Rooks Nest Entertainment
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 24, 2014
Runtime
1h 36m