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Idiots, The
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 15 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 7 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Drama
Written by: Lars von Trier
Directed by: Lars von Trier
Release Date:
Theatrical: April 28, 2000
DVD: October 24, 2000
Running Time: 117 minutes, Color
Origin: Denmark / France / Italy / Netherlands
Language(s): Danish (with English subtitles)
Summary
RATING: R for strong sexuality and nudity, and for language
Starring Bodil Jorgensen, Jens Albinus, and Anne Louise Hassing
At a home in a Copenhagen suburb, a group of people get together to break all the limitations and to bring out the inner idiots in themselves.
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Antichrist Breaking the Waves Dancer in the Dark Dogville Epidemic Manderlay Medea The Five Obstructions
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
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...
Rolling Stone Peter Travers
With shocking humor and surprising grace, Von Trier creates something unique and memorable.
Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman
A highly calculated act of mischief that sounds like a stunt cooked up for Howard Stern's radio show.
Read Full Review >Mr. Showbiz Richard T. Jameson
Shot on location, handheld camera, available light, no props, no music, no filters, etc. We may wonder, "What are we doing here?" But we won't look away.
Baltimore Sun Ann Hornaday
Von Trier has assembled a fearless troupe of gifted actors - especially Jorgensen - to explore the outer reaches of human cruelty and vulnerability.
San Francisco Examiner Wesley Morris
Demonstrates that sadomasochistic streak in von Trier that equates the raw with the experimental.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington
It's interesting - in its own let-it-all-hang-out, shaky-camera way.
TV Guide Ken Fox
It's overtly about provocation, set in a tony Danish suburb where a group of men and women living commune-style in an empty house are discovering their "inner idiots" by pretending to be developmentally challenged.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas
The group's intent is not to insult those physically or mentally challenged in any manner of degree but, rather, to disturb middle-class types as much as they possibly can.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly Manohla Dargis
Becomes guilty of the very prejudice that his film has so obviously tried to subvert. It's too bad -- the rest of it is hilarious.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Jay Carr
Von Trier's The Idiots is both lively and juvenile.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker
Von Trier is far more hypocritical than his straw-figure characters, and he's simply too cynical and insincere to be provocative.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
Tries to be daring and iconoclastic but winds up seeming as spoiled and childish as its main characters.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum
This is thoughtful nihilist provocation at best.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Dana Stevens
Has nothing on its mind besides the squirming discomfort of its audience, the achievement of which it holds up as a brave political accomplishment.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 5.7 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Giulia gave it an8:
The idea is great and a bit bad. but thats in a way good. it d be a 8,5.
Gal M. gave it a10:
Most people do not understand this movie cause they dont seriously consider living there life the way these idiots do. ignorance is bliss.
Andrew M. gave it a 1:
This films is perfectly named...because it was made by them! I am not against the ideas Dogma advocate; on the contrary, their "commandments" should promote and produce films that are real, honest and stimulating. This film might be some of that...but it's also sh.t! An insulting and excruciating film to watch, don't waste your time and senses!
Charles H. gave it a 6:
Certainly no masterpiece, but one of the most (for me) thought-provoking films I had seen in a long time. I'm not sure how much it matters that I feel that much of the thought provoked by the movie was somewhat unintentional. Disturbing. There. That's the word I was looking for. That's so rare in cinema nowadays that a film gets some credit just for being exactly that.
Yoon Min C. gave it a 2:
There's nothing more pointless than smart people acting like idiotic. The purpose of this exercise in Dogma whatever filmmaking? For the dogs.
