X
- 2016
- R
- Broad Green Pictures
- 1 h 58 m
- 2016
- R
- Broad Green Pictures
- 1 h 58 m
Summary Knight of Cups follows writer Rick (Christian Bale) on an odyssey through the playgrounds of Los Angeles and Las Vegas as he undertakes a search for love and self. Even as he moves through a desire-laden landscape of mansions, resorts, beaches and clubs, Rick grapples over complicated relationships with his brother (Wes Bentley) and fath...
Directed By: Terrence Malick
Written By: Terrence Malick
- 2016
- R
- Broad Green Pictures
- 1 h 58 m
- 2016
- R
- Broad Green Pictures
- 1 h 58 m
Knight of Cups
53
6.3
Where to Watch
Summary Knight of Cups follows writer Rick (Christian Bale) on an odyssey through the playgrounds of Los Angeles and Las Vegas as he undertakes a search for love and self. Even as he moves through a desire-laden landscape of mansions, resorts, beaches and clubs, Rick grapples over complicated relationships with his brother (Wes Bentley) and fath...
Directed By: Terrence Malick
Written By: Terrence Malick
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 41 Critic Reviews
53
32% Positive
13 Reviews
13 Reviews
59% Mixed
24 Reviews
24 Reviews
10% Negative
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 41 Critic Reviews
53
32% Positive
13 Reviews
13 Reviews
59% Mixed
24 Reviews
24 Reviews
10% Negative
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
Usually, with movies, you can imagine how they were made — how the idea came, and the process of its creation. But Knight of Cups seems as if it arrived whole. If there’s a better film this year, get ready for a very good year.
Pretty and discardable in equal measures, the movie illustrates ingredients of the filmmaker's appeal while falling short of assembling them into a coherent whole.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 84 User Ratings
6.3
56% Positive
47 Ratings
47 Ratings
20% Mixed
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
24% Negative
20 Ratings
20 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 84 User Ratings
6.3
56% Positive
47 Ratings
47 Ratings
20% Mixed
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
24% Negative
20 Ratings
20 Ratings
Perhaps Malick's best film (despite its excessive length), Knight of Cups was easily the most underrated film of 2016, far better than La La Land and most of the other Oscar contenders.
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This is Malick turning graceful, ever-decreasing circles, though there’s a thrill to seeing him traverse hotel rooms and studio lots, nightclubs and strip clubs, after a career wrapped up in the period and pastoral.
I'm all for directors making audiences think, but ultimately, those thoughts need to lead us somewhere. "To the Wonder" didn't, to my mind. I'm not sure Knight of Cups does, either.
Must all films about alienation be themselves alienating? Take a walk on the beach and ponder that one. There's a line between artful and arty, and Malick has crossed it.
He has told the story of humanity’s fall from grace so many times that you wonder if his wand is starting to sputter.
With the corpse of a nightmare called Knight of Cups, I have finally given up on Terrence Malick. This dog of a film is as riveting and fascinating as a walk-in bathtub.
A film of the genre "Terrence Malik". Like his other films he is about finding oneself, finding a way, loving, living, understanding the meaning and yourself.
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Why cant proper critics, be proper critics anymore?. I mean, every hate review is basically a "i'm-not-getting-what-i-want-from-this-movie" rant, failing to say what's actually wrong with the film itself. If you need narrative, read a novel or a chronicle. Film is primarily a visual medium. There are many examples of (seemingly) plotless films that are considered masterpieces like 2001, 8 1/2, La Dolce Vita, Last Yeat at Marienbad, and a bunch more. Personally, I'm glad that films like Knight of Cups are being produced, after all, narrative films are being produced in the hundreds a year and most of the them are dull as hell.
The film is about an existential crisis, about everything that surrounds the character, and it's repetitive because LIFE is repetitive, it's shallow because the way of life of the character (and most people) is shallow. Ever felt that there's always something missing in your life? Well, this film is about that and more.
Everybody will have this sort of existential crisis weather it is when your facing death or when you're 30 or 50, so in that aspect this film is universal and important IMO.
Oh, last but not least, this film is definitely not as intellectual as it seems to be. Viewers just need an open mind to feel it and understand it.?
This is simply Malick being Malick, what do you expect- you're either on his wavelength or you're not.
Love it or hate it
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This is without a doubt Terrence Malick's most incoherent film to date, however that doesn't mean that it isn't without its redeeming qualities. Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography looks as stunning as always and the big-name cast at least kept things somewhat interesting. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of the film's story or sense of direction (most of the time it felt like it had none.) Overall, this one is strictly for Malick's most loyal fans, although even they, much like myself, may have a difficult time grasping what the film tries to communicate. As far as I'm concerned, The Tree of Life is still my favorite film of Malick's hands down! Obviously, this doesn't come anywhere near the beauty and brilliance of that film; however, for what it's worth, in my opinion, this is a slight step above To the Wonder.
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Put Terrence Malick together with Chivo--you having yourself a visually stunning film. There's no question there. However, film is often times much more than a visual experience. With little plot addressed, you'll find yourself entering an all-too-interpretive world. You're bound to be lost - and it isn't worth it for Malick's weakest film to date.
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Production Company
Dogwood Films,
Waypoint Entertainment
Release Date Mar 4, 2016
Duration 1 h 58 m
Rating R
Tagline Fragments of a melancholy soul loathing the L.A. vacant life.
Awards
California on Location Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Indiewire Critics' Poll
• 2 Nominations
Golden Trailer Awards
• 2 Nominations
