Charlie Says

Name: Charlie Says
Genre: Biography, Drama, Crime
Released: May 10, 2019
Duration: 110 min
Rating: 57
Cast: Annabeth Gish, Bridger Zadina, Chace Crawford, Grace Van Dien, Hannah Murray

2019

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Ratings

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5.3

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5.3	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Ratings

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Charlie Says

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Movie Details & Credits

IFC Films | Release Date: May 10, 2019 | R

Starring: Annabeth Gish, Bridger Zadina, Chace Crawford, Grace Van Dien, Hannah Murray, India Ennenga, Kayli Carter, Kimmy Shields, Lindsay Farris, Marianne Rendón, Matt Smith, Merritt Wever, Sosie Bacon, Suki Waterhouse

Summary: Years after the shocking murders that made the name Charles Manson synonymous with pure evil, the three women who killed for him—Leslie Van Houten (Hannah Murray), Patricia Krenwinkel (Sosie Bacon), and Susan Atkins (Marianne Rendón)—remain under the spell of the infamous cult leader (Matt Smith). Confined to an isolated cellblock in aYears after the shocking murders that made the name Charles Manson synonymous with pure evil, the three women who killed for him—Leslie Van Houten (Hannah Murray), Patricia Krenwinkel (Sosie Bacon), and Susan Atkins (Marianne Rendón)—remain under the spell of the infamous cult leader (Matt Smith). Confined to an isolated cellblock in a California penitentiary, the trio seem destined to live out the rest of their lives under the delusion that their crimes were part of a cosmic plan—until empathetic graduate student Karlene Faith (Merritt Wever) is enlisted to rehabilitate them. Convinced the prisoners are not the inhuman monsters the world believes them to be, Karlene begins the arduous process of breaking down the psychological barriers erected by Manson. But are the women ready to confront the horror of what they did? [IFC Films]… Expand

Director: Mary Harron

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 110 min

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Critic Reviews

Katie Walsh

May 9, 2019

Charlie Says is a fascinating and feminist exploration of Manson’s first victims: the girls themselves. Read full review

Staff (Not credited)

Aug 17, 2019

At its strongest, Charlie Says remembers that true justice is never easy, nor should it ever be. Its importance is in Harron asking those very questions, putting the audience in the uncomfortable position of contemplating at what point punishment is enough, and that gives Charlie Says true worth. Read full review

David Rooney

Sep 8, 2018

As a portrait of bogus revolutionary rhetoric used to undermine and control women, it’s thoughtful and provocative. Read full review

Clint Worthington

May 9, 2019

Murray and Wever are as attuned to their roles as Smith is awkward and miscast in his. But perhaps that’s an appropriate fit for Harron and Turner’s divisive-yet-gripping take on this story: at the end of the day, the Manson women are deeper, more fascinating, and more worthy of exploration than the insecure man that connected them. Read full review

Jessica Kiang

Sep 8, 2018

The film Harron delivers is so ambivalent as to be frustratingly gun-shy about truly asserting a point of view, or adding anything meaningful to the already thriving cottage industry of Manson-adjacent storytelling. Read full review

The Playlist Kimber Myers

May 3, 2019

[A] bland, sometimes dull film ... Those unfamiliar with the history of the Manson Family murders won’t gain any real understanding of the crimes or the character of those who committed them, while those who know the details won’t get any new insights into it either. Read full review

Rex Reed

May 10, 2019

Never catches fire or fully engages the imagination in the nightmarish way it should. Read full review

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User Reviews

MarkTakayama

Aug 21, 2019

I didn't know anything about Manson family's crime.I learned it.I am going to ask Google about it.Good movie!

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Cementer200

Oct 5, 2020

Charlie says is above average movie. it doesn't cover the full story of The Manson Family just murders it doesn't even do that well it doesn't cover the trails.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Sep 2, 2019

A very simplistic handling of an issue that should not be treated like this and it's surprising that the story tries to explain how women fell to Manson's orders and yet the film is incapable of doing so.

Disappointing.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

KenR

Apr 8, 2020

Charlie Says... is not such a wise title to give a movie that might have been an intriguing expose on some unforgivable murders. It’s also further hampered by the moviemakers spending too much time voyeuristically gloating over the unhealthy sexual indulgences of a bunch of feral hippiesCharlie Says... is not such a wise title to give a movie that might have been an intriguing expose on some unforgivable murders. It’s also further hampered by the moviemakers spending too much time voyeuristically gloating over the unhealthy sexual indulgences of a bunch of feral hippies (with no mention of the STD’s transmitted between this moronic bunch). This graphic porno approach would have had far more dramatic impact if handled less exploitative. The second half of this movie almost seemed to be made by a different team, less sensationalistic, and a little more worthy in its approach – though, still appearing somewhat emotionally manipulative. I agree that it’s important to pursue redemptive rehabilitation on gaoled sociopaths. But don’t believe that too many results warrant a release for perpetrators of hideously repugnant crimes against humanity (we’ve seen too many examples where this has gone badly wrong). This revisitation of the abominable crimes of Charles Manson and his sick crew, tells us little about the lives of these people before becoming members of his free love hippy farm. It wasn’t only Manson’s evil dominating power alone that turned them into killers. – they were free to leave at any time they wanted but, they didn’t - their own personalities, along with the drugs and perverse sex, also had an appealing hold over these easily-led damaged folk.

Curiosity tends to keep one watching this entry and at times its interesting but overall there’s not a great deal to learn from the sad experience and, it could have been told with less sensationalized over-indulgence or the added implied PC gender inferences to tick another modern Hollywood box.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Mauro_Lanari

Feb 27, 2021

(Mauro Lanari)
The ambiguities already present in "American Psycho" (2000) this time become ideological confusion: "I, too, was expecting the arrival of a huge cosmic change at the end of the 60s", says the scholar Karlene Faith with a newly broken marriage and 4 children, "but no one has(Mauro Lanari)
The ambiguities already present in "American Psycho" (2000) this time become ideological confusion: "I, too, was expecting the arrival of a huge cosmic change at the end of the 60s", says the scholar Karlene Faith with a newly broken marriage and 4 children, "but no one has killed strangers". Sure? Or are we in the territory of traditionally legalized murders versus unconventional ones?… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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