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Audition
Film Forum

Audition reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 69 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.4 out of 10
based on 19 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 24 votes
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Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: Not Rated

Starring Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, and Jun Kunimura

When a Japanese widower holds an audition to search for a potential mate, he finds more than he expected in this eerie thriller.


GENRE(S): Suspense/Thriller  
WRITTEN BY: RyĆ» Murakami (novel)  
DIRECTED BY: Takashi Miike  
RELEASE DATE: DVD: June 4, 2002 
Video: June 4, 2002 
Theatrical: August 8, 2001 
RUNNING TIME: 115 minutes, Color 
ORIGIN: Japan 
LANGUAGE(S): Japanese (with English subtitles) 

Original Japanese title "Odishon"

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90
Slate David Edelstein
During the ghastly, surreal climax, I had fun closing one eye and with the other watching various ashen older men stumble toward the exit.
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89
Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov
Audition's take on the war between the sexes is bleak and almost entirely devoid of hope. --It's enough to make you give up dating altogether.
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88
Chicago Tribune Patrick Z. McGavin
Creates an atmosphere of frenzy that is both powerful and unforgettable, providing neither solace nor comfort.
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88
Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach
The images here are graphic and disturbing. But Miike somehow manages to stop just short of disgusting.
88
New York Post V.A. Musetto
The faint of heart might want to leave early. If you elect to stay, remember: You were warned.
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80
Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas
A diabolically adroit piece of filmmaking that goes even further than the films of Italy's excruciatingly macabre Dario Argento.
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80
New Times (L.A.) Andy Klein
A warning is virtually mandated: No one who's even the least bit squeamish should even think about seeing Audition. But, if you have a taste for the disturbing, it's a trip that will stay with you for some time.
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80
The New York Times A.O. Scott
The picture is about victims -- but it's also a great, sick rush with a kicker on the level of "The Vanishing."
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75
Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea
Brazen shocker is never less than compelling -- even when you feel compelled to shut your eyes.
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75
San Francisco Chronicle Bob Graham
This movie can be recommended only to dyed-in-the-wool fans of the genre. Anyone who goes into one of Miike's films must be prepared to be put through the wringer.
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70
LA Weekly Paul Malcolm
How Miike gets us from amiable point A to debilitating point B is a remarkable act of manipulation and control that may leave you feeling sucker-punched, even brutalized, but you won't forget the experience anytime soon.
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70
Film Threat Eric Campos
One of the most shocking Japanese horror films ever. It needs to be seen to be believed, but those with queasy stomachs would do well to stay away.
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70
TV Guide Ken Fox
Somewhere beyond the extremes of "Fatal Attraction" and "In The Company of Men" festers this elegantly composed, outrageously violent psycho thriller.
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67
Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
The first two-thirds of the movie are a kind of stumbling relationship drama, but the last third segues into a spooky feast of torture, mutilation and murder.
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60
Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector
Though I hate to ruin the complex experience of following a rather calm story about a lonely widower as it becomes something else, I feel obliged to point out that the hard-core gore and soft-core surrealism of this baroque morality play may not support any theme.
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50
Boston Globe Jim Sullivan
A long crawl from inception to climax.
50
Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
The most startling aspect of this slow-building horror movie is how unexpectedly it morphs from a quietly romantic suspense yarn to a flat-out tale of terror that may have some viewers hiding under their seats.
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38
New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman
Possibly the sourest revenge movie ever, Audition starts off as a sweet, low-key romance, then abruptly turns into a grisly, sadistic thriller.
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30
Village Voice Dennis Lim
After simmering for an eternity, it derails, with spectacular, psychotic force, bulldozing its way toward an almost unwatchable theater of cruelty.
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What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this movie is 8.4 (out of 10) based on 24 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

R J gave it an8:
"Audition" reminds me of "Psycho" and "Deliverance" (both brilliant films) in that it leads the audience into thinking the story is moving along in one direction, when all of a sudden, one crucial scene appears that changes the nature of everything that has come before it and the viewer turns around to see the path they have been following is suddenly no longer there, and they are lost in the deep dark woods. After Marion Crane, the only apparent protagonist of "Psycho," with whom everyone in the audience has come to care about and identify with is shockingly murdered, the audience feels stranded and misplaced like a panicked kid who has lost his mother in a gigantic spooky department store. "Audition" has a scene like that which sneaks up on you and leaves you confounded, misled, and deeply apprehensive. It's a scene where the protagonist, Aoyama, calls up the seemingly sweet, soft-spoken young woman he has fallen for, and we see her at her apartment sitting in front of the phone as it rings. I won't go into detail, but what we immediately realize from this moment is that this young woman is severely disturbed, and to be avoided at all costs. Unfortunately we, the audience, like Aoyama, have fallen into the director, Takashi Miike's, diabolical trap. Quite disturbing and memorable.

Rich gave it a9:
This is Miike at his best, creating a film that will confuse and disturb you. The first half starts as a peaceful romantic comedy, and then, slowly builds up to the squirm inducing finale. Yes the start may seem slow, but it all adds to the effect of luring you into a false sense of security. Brilliant.

Peter B. gave it a2:
This movie was awful. I honestly cannot see what everyone else sees in it. Not only is it technically unimpressive--the cinematography was a subpar attempt to imitate a high schooler's video or photo skills-- the storyline was terrible. It took over an hour to even get into any kind of real story, and then the last half hour or so was a trippy, ridiculous and confusing rehash of the crap from first hour. Acting is poor, screenplay is unimpressive, and worst of all- IT'S NOT SCARY! Disturbing, yes, but scary it certainly is not. The unexpected turns that people talk about are not like you'd expect--they're just points in the movie where the director couldn't figure out where to go and instead said "ya know what? I'm gonna just completely change everything just to mess with people!" Avoid if at all possible.

nick a gave it a10:
Horrible, unnerving, grisly, haunting, this film works because it doesn't do what you think it will, some of the scenes are quite gut wrenching and difficult to watch but regardless this is another superb effort from Miike.

sidewinder572 gave it a10:
The best film of the past 10 years. There I've said it. It's everything that a great horror movie should be and it's genius is that it's extremely boring for about the first hour until it slowly creeps up on you and eventually ninja kicks you in the face. Anyone who even consider themelves as a horror fan must see this film.

Matt A. gave it a9:
Totally disturbing film. I have seen quite a bit, but this is still continuing to haunt me three days later and doesn't show any signs of letting up. I agree with Kris L. on the memorable dialogue. Anyway, well-made, powerful movie, but seriously not for everyone.

Xoe E. gave it a10:
One of the best movies I have ever seen, even though some parts are disgusting, it is mesmerizing, and I did not even mind the subtitiles. lol.

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