Child's Pose

Name: Child's Pose
Genre: Drama
Released: February 19, 2014
Duration: 112 min
Rating: 77

2014

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Zeitgeist Films | Release Date: February 19, 2014 | Not Rated

Summary: When her son is implicated in a hit and run accident, Cornelia Keneres (Luminita Gheorghiu) does everything she can to keep him out of jail.

Director: Calin Peter Netzer

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 112 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Peter Rainer

Feb 21, 2014

A lousy title for a marvelous movie. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Sheila O'Malley

Feb 21, 2014

It's an extremely strong and upsetting film, yet another example of the fascinating things going on in Romania's new wave, with a breathtaking lead performance by Luminita Gheorghiu as Cornelia. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

Mar 13, 2014

A compelling, complex, confounding film. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Nov 3, 2013

Calin Peter Netzer's Child's Pose is a gripping new drama from Romania and another demonstration of how that country's new wave is developing a distinctive kind of real-time slice-of-life cinema with characterisation in extreme, pitiless closeup. Read full review

Michael Atkinson

Feb 18, 2014

With Child's Pose, the Romanian tide enters its Cassavetes phase, where the thin ice of haute bourgeoisie life cracks and opens wide. Read full review

The Playlist Jessica Kiang

Jul 9, 2013

The last quarter of Child's Pose is so remarkably strong that it makes a sometimes grim journey worth sticking with to its destination. Read full review

Time Out London Trevor Johnston

Oct 29, 2013

Child’s Pose plays its thematic cards far too early, but it’s sustained by Gheorghiu’s compelling central turn as the endlessly self-deluding grande dame. Read full review

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User Reviews

TheDRauch

Dec 12, 2014

It's an emotionally complex and mature film, that's for certain. The film juggles thorny themes relating to death, guilt, responsibility, and desperation all while presenting it's characters, particularly the mother, as multi-dimensional people, at times behaving exceptionally selfish orIt's an emotionally complex and mature film, that's for certain. The film juggles thorny themes relating to death, guilt, responsibility, and desperation all while presenting it's characters, particularly the mother, as multi-dimensional people, at times behaving exceptionally selfish or cowardly in lieu of imposing moral circumstances that demand, rather, sacrifice and humility. These aren't necessarily bad people, though. They are exceptionally damaged individuals, mostly because of their relationships with each other. They behave in ways that are self-serving. The mother smothers her son and overlooks what is right in order to keep him in her life at any cost. The son behaves callously toward her attempts at connection and fails to confront his guilt or even acknowledge it, in spite of the horrid repercussions his behavior has on everyone involved. The climax is particularly emotionally scathing. The mother ceases to be a cold, in-control figure and completely disintegrates into desperation, a scene that reveals an unexpected vulnerability to her that is surprising when juxtaposed with the confidence she displays throughout the majority of the first hour. Child's Pose takes scenes of moral conflict like these and milks every bit of misanthropic commentary it can indirectly from the behavior of these characters, who are far from handling their situation gracefully. There is a revelation unearthed by the father of the dead child near the end of the film that strikes a deep chord. He acknowledges that it is both his fault as well as the man-child who killed his son and he is willing to rot in prison for his life in order to achieve 'a kind of justice'. Sobering stuff. From everyone involved, great performances grace the screen, particularly the mother, as we can all agree. Sometimes the abrasive, uncomfortable tone can be a bit overbearing, creating a dislikability that overwhelms the attempt at empathy Child's Pose strives for simultaneously. The emotional climax is undermined a bit, though the performances run full-steam-ahead sob-territory, because of the fact that we aren't necessarily in the corner of the mother and her son; in spite of the fact that we understand their motivations, we can't quite warm up to either due to some blatantly protruding character flaws. But when this film works in spite of it's heavier than necessary tone and likability issue, it is a rousing experience, and it stands as one of the most morally challenging films to come out this year.… Expand

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netflic

Mar 1, 2014

It is a story of a tyrannical, overbearing mother Cornelia whose nickname is Controllia.
Her only son, while driving recklessly on a highway, accidentally kills a teenager.
Cornelia, not doubting that her son is guilty, uses her connections to meddle with police investigation to avoid herIt is a story of a tyrannical, overbearing mother Cornelia whose nickname is Controllia.
Her only son, while driving recklessly on a highway, accidentally kills a teenager.
Cornelia, not doubting that her son is guilty, uses her connections to meddle with police investigation to avoid her son's prosecution.
Her motherly love turned her only son into a distorted, spoiled wreck of a human being who desperately tries to get out of his mother's iron grip.

The movie is filmed with a hand-help camera which I found extremely annoying combined with necessity to read subtitles.

The authors of this movie allow us a glimpse into the modern corrupt Romania, skewed morality of it's upper class. This film is definitely worth seeing.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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