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Upstream Color

Play trailer Poster for Upstream Color Released Apr 5, 2013 1h 36m Drama Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
87% Tomatometer 146 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A woman (Amy Seimetz) unwittingly undergoes a series of bizarre experiments, then meets a kindred spirit (Shane Carruth) who may have experienced the same ordeal.

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Upstream Color

Upstream Color

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Critics Consensus

As technically brilliant as it is narratively abstract, Upstream Color represents experimental American cinema at its finest -- and reaffirms Shane Carruth as a talent to watch.

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Critics Reviews

View All (146) Critics Reviews
Amy Taubin Film Comment Magazine Upstream Color is a gorgeous movie-the play of sunlight in the visuals is exquisite-but its images of intestinal parasites are, well, off-putting. Aug 28, 2019 Full Review Larushka Ivan-Zadeh metro.co.uk Blending languorous visual sensuality with a driving sense of paranoid urgency, this metaphorical mix of skin-crawling body horror and Lynchian mystery boasts a compelling dream logic that offsets its huge potential for being pretentious studenty twaddle. Rated: 4/5 Sep 5, 2017 Full Review Wesley Morris Grantland What the movie points to is worth following until you're left with an enormous map that you spend the rest of the drive trying to refold. Jan 3, 2014 Full Review Erick Estrada Cinegarage Disconcerting and unrealistic, malevolent and organic, emotional and bleak, Upstream Color is undoubtedly an experience that challenges those who call themselves cinephiles but rewards those who know that history exists as long as one forgets about it... Sep 14, 2023 Full Review Prahlad Srihari Firstpost Parasitic worms and pig farms, past and present, real and surreal, Whitman and Thoreau all come together in this strangely sensual concoction. Rated: 4.5/5 Jul 24, 2020 Full Review Brent McKnight The Last Thing I See Thematically huge, spiritual in nature, sweeping and epic despite a seemingly limited scope, this is a story about the human experience, about healing yourself and others, and that defies easy classification. Rated: A Jul 9, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Georgan G All for experimental film and the cinematography here was truly beautiful. However, I did not understand the plot at all. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/28/24 Full Review David W Describing this film as experimental is somewhat apt, though misguided might be more so. The plot is frustratingly difficult to follow. Having seen it all the way through, I could barely tell you what it is about. Dynamic audiovisuals keep the viewer's interest. Having seen this once, I feel no desire to watch it again. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/21/24 Full Review Emilliano Jr S Sci-fi & romance don't go along sometimes. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 08/24/23 Full Review Andy B I still do not know what to make of this film. Not good, not bad, just bizarre. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/21/23 Full Review Siriporn P Difficult to understand. Quite abstract and dreamy portrayal. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review isla s This is very much an arty sci-fi film, which seems so sort of bizarre and random/surreal at first that its hard to fully understand or get your head around. I liked it more after a while, with the two main characters speaking more and the use of light and airy instrumental/classical music adding to a sense (or atmosphere) of floatiness, that I liked. It's clear this is a film with a fair bit of symbolism and many sub-plots present but I'm not sure you have to entirely follow it all, to enjoy it. I would say the first three quarters of an hour were quite weird and not too re-assuring but as I say, it did end up appealing to me and I felt intrigued to see what more might come to light, to try and help explain some of the context to the viewer as time moved on. Suffice to say, this isn't a light and easy/simple watch. I liked that it's set in a pretty normal domestic setting, for the most part. I found myself thinking back to Okja, with the link between the pigs in this film and the humans. I'm not sure it's entirely about using animals for human food/greed though. I believe it's more to do with inter connectedness. This obviously won't be a film that will suit everyone, it features shaky camerawork and it is quite hard to fully follow, certainly on a first viewing but if your ok with the thought of multiple viewings and thinking through what was seen and how it different elements may link to others - if your a fan of films by the likes of Terrence Malick perhaps, then you may enjoy this on one level, yes. At a guess, I'd say this film is about fragility, vulnerability possibly and fate, plus the circle of life and death. It focusses on snapshots of elements of moments in time. I suppose its quite a sensory film, about the importance of touch (not in a sexual way, I hasten to add). This is certainly one of the most surreal films I've seen in recent years...and the final shot - that has to be symbolic!. I'd also like to point out that there is really quite little in the way of dialogue. I suppose its more about body language. I don't think I'd especially recommend this film to any and everyone overall, as its fairly impenetrable on first watch but it's not an awful film, its intriguing in some ways...I feel it is a thoughtful film but it certainly isn't a film for everyone. If it sounds of interest to you, then yes, give it a go, otherwise perhaps not. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Upstream Color

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A woman (Amy Seimetz) unwittingly undergoes a series of bizarre experiments, then meets a kindred spirit (Shane Carruth) who may have experienced the same ordeal.
Director
Shane Carruth
Producer
Shane Carruth, Casey Gooden, Ben LeClair
Screenwriter
Shane Carruth
Production Co
ERBP
Genre
Drama, Sci-Fi
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 5, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 4, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$415.1K
Runtime
1h 36m
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