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Them That Follow

Play trailer 2:14 Poster for Them That Follow R 2019 1h 38m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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59% Tomatometer 92 Reviews 44% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Inside a snake-handling church deep in Appalachia, a forbidden relationship forces a pastor's daughter to confront her community's deadly tradition.
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Them That Follow

Them That Follow

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Critics Consensus

Them That Follow never quite captures the spiritual fervor of its setting, but the cast's committed performances make for an intermittently satisfying character study.

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Critics Reviews

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Noëlle D. Lilley Chicago Reader 02/21/2020
In their directorial debut, Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage fail to show the church in a neutral light, choosing instead to lean into a "crazy cult" caricature rather than evenly portray what is already a complex, divisive religious custom. Go to Full Review
Kevin Maher The Times (UK) 11/25/2019
The plot is soapy, but the film’s writing and directing team, Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage, treat the characters with dignity... and create a sense of gloom that’s intensely compelling. Go to Full Review
Peter Rainer FilmWeek (LAist) 08/23/2019
It does grip you because of the inherent nature of the story itself. Go to Full Review
Ryan McQuade InSession Film 04/04/2024
The script left a lot to be desired and left their actors out in the cold, leaving them to have to pick up a lot of the slack and thus the film became an exercise in patience... Go to Full Review
Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com 09/26/2020
3.0/4.0
It's the kind of film that brings to light its mostly hidden world in ways that feel honest. Go to Full Review
Matt Cipolla The Film Stage 07/28/2020
2.5/5
It sounds good enough, but its attempts to slink around gender and supernatural clichés are too repetitive and lacking character to make its point feel more than moot. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Ralph R Jul 26 Them That Follow is a slow-burn drama with some of the best cinematography I’ve seen in a while. The movie really nails the isolated Appalachian vibe, every shot feels heavy and atmospheric, which keeps the tension going even when the story itself is taking its time. The plot can get a little frustrating since a lot of character decisions don’t fully make sense, but the strong cast keeps things interesting. Walton Goggins is perfectly intense as the preacher. If you’re into movies with serious mood and visuals, this one’s worth checking out, even if the script isn’t always on point. See more Alain E @AlainE Jun 10 This is no mystery or thriller as per Rotten Tomatoes characterization. I don’t have any personal experience of religious sects, especially ones involving poisonous snakes handling, but my impression is that the film communicates this environment with respect. Acting is first class involving some well and some less known players. Nice photography as well. An impressive scene towards the end of a snake purification ceremony that we have to assume involved a non poisonous variety, as I don’t think any insurance company would cover the actress that bravely takes part. See more Logan D Apr 10 In the Appalachia mountains, the daughter of the pastor of a snake handling church attempts to hide her pregnancy from him. This film has a stellar cast from some of my favorite films. Walton Scoggins (Hateful 8), Olivia Coleman (could do a dramatic reading of the phone book), Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart, No One Will Save You), and Thomas Mann (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl). Sadly, it lacks a strong script deserving of such talent. Inert would be the best word to describe it. But, if you enjoy seeing talented acting on display, watch it for their work. See more jill f 01/26/2023 This was fairly decent as a dark suspense movie, and the cast was great except for the fellow who played the pastor. My fear is that people will believe this is the kind of thing that goes on in snake handling churches. Not the case at all. I have studied this culture for years and no one should take this as a true depiction of a snake handling church. There are many things depicted in here that would not be allowed in that world, and the service they showed was way off, as well as the theology behind snake handling. As long as people realize this is an extreme fictional off-the-wall cult and not about the real group, I'm sure they will certainly appreciate the good acting. But I really wouldn't recommend this to anyone. See more jelisije j 12/12/2022 A movie that tackles the cliche religion scenarios with a good amount of respect and understanding, but isn't as memorable as others films that deal with the subject matter. See more tom m 10/06/2021 Reasonably well-told story and decent acting, but the story was depressing. I also have little patience for people who create drama due to questionable belief structures. See more Read all reviews
Them That Follow

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Movie Info

Synopsis Inside a snake-handling church deep in Appalachia, a forbidden relationship forces a pastor's daughter to confront her community's deadly tradition.
Director
Britt Poulton, Daniel Savage
Producer
Bradley Gallo, Gerard Butler, Michael A. Helfant, Danielle Robinson, Alan Siegel
Screenwriter
Britt Poulton, Daniel Savage
Distributor
1091
Production Co
G-BASE, Sony Pictures, Amasia Entertainment
Rating
R (Some Disturbing Violence)
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 2, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 7, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA)
$159.0K
Runtime
1h 38m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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