X
- 2023
- R
- Neon
- 1 h 37 m
- 2023
- R
- Neon
- 1 h 37 m
Summary Set during a bitter 1964 Massachusetts winter, young secretary Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie) becomes enchanted by the glamorous new counselor at the prison where she works. Their budding friendship takes a twisted turn when Rebecca reveals a dark secret — throwing Eileen onto a sinister path. Based on Ottessa Moshfegh’s award-winning novel.
Directed By: William Oldroyd
Written By: Luke Goebel, Ottessa Moshfegh
- 2023
- R
- Neon
- 1 h 37 m
- 2023
- R
- Neon
- 1 h 37 m
Eileen
72
6.2
Where to Watch
Summary Set during a bitter 1964 Massachusetts winter, young secretary Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie) becomes enchanted by the glamorous new counselor at the prison where she works. Their budding friendship takes a twisted turn when Rebecca reveals a dark secret — throwing Eileen onto a sinister path. Based on Ottessa Moshfegh’s award-winning novel.
Directed By: William Oldroyd
Written By: Luke Goebel, Ottessa Moshfegh
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 44 Critic Reviews
72
73% Positive
32 Reviews
32 Reviews
27% Mixed
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 44 Critic Reviews
72
73% Positive
32 Reviews
32 Reviews
27% Mixed
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Oldroyd lulled me into a false sense of expectation and then dropped a bomb into his movie that completely shifted the ground under my feet. I can't remember the last time I was so energized by a surprise.
Rippling with sly humor and a bold command of the tropes of classic Hitchcockian suspense, this is a twisty and beguiling original, led by contrasting but expertly synced performances from Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 35 User Ratings
6.2
49% Positive
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
40% Mixed
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
11% Negative
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 35 User Ratings
6.2
49% Positive
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
40% Mixed
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
11% Negative
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
Eileen just goes nowhere for me. It's awfully dour and pointless. Not a fan of Anne Hathaway, but she wasn't bad in this. That's about the most I can give to it. Dumb and obvious plot that answers none of the mystery suggested. Men really take a beating here. There's not one decent man in the whole movie. And what juvenile facility would have so many women in it in the 50's.
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Poor Eileen.
She's lonely.
She has major "daddy" issues.
And she works at a prison for boys.
Even worse, she's do desperate to be loved and respected, she gets in way over her head quickly, when she meets femme fatale, Rebecca.
Oh boy, is this movie DARK.
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Eileen is indeed a weird little movie, but it leaves a big impact.
Eileen is a slender drama distinguished by strong performances.
Overall, Eileen is a pretty close adaptation of the mood of Moshfegh’s stories, even though some lost elements dull the author’s unique and singular voice. If the script meanders its way toward its unsettling end, it still manages to stay compelling.
William Oldroyd’s Lady Macbeth follow-up Eileen is lacking in a considered formal approach but strives to make up for this misgiving with a script that offers its talented ensemble an unexpected mix of sensual longing and perverse thrills. While this clash of tones doesn’t entirely gel, part of its appeal is the shock of such contrasts.
Oldroyd never seems entirely sure just how pulpy and weird his material is, unable to decide how far to push, the odd stylistic flourish and burst of lurid music ultimately feeling incongruous in a film that’s otherwise visually quiet.
IN A NUTSHELL:
The story is about a young woman who works at a local youth prison. When a glamorous counselor arrives, Eileen is intrigued and tries to be more like the other woman, only to learn she has been led down a sinister path.
The femme fatale film was directed by William Oldroyd. Writing credits go to Marin Ireland, Luke Goebel and Ottessa Moshfegh. It’s based on the novel of the same name. Already, the movie has been nominated for 7 awards by various film associations.
THINGS I LIKED:
I’ve been a fan of Anne Hathaway for many years, so I was excited to see her in this. She’s excellent in this, of course.
Thomasin McKenzie has a knack for picking interesting films. Her laid-back personality and talent sneak up on you. I think the first time I ever saw her was in the movie Leave No Trace. I was touched by her performance and became an instant fan. She’s fantastic in this coming-of-age tale.
Now, add Siobhan Fallon Hogan to the cast and you have a powerhouse of female talent here. I adore her. She creates such fun characters.
Other cast members who also do a good job are Shea Whigham, Tonye Patano, Peter McRobbie, and Owen Teague. Co-writer Marin Ireland gives a powerful performance too.
We get to hear some pretty doggone good Boston accents from the cast that immerse us in the setting.
Lovely cinematography by award nominee Ari Wegner by British Cinematographer Magazine.
The film is a true character study.
The daydreaming scenes always provided a surge of humorous energy.
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
This is definitely not a “feel good” story. My instant reaction during the closing credits was “ick.” It all felt a bit pointless. I haven’t read the novel the movie is based on, but I had the impression I was missing something that might have been in the source material. Unfortunately, based on what I saw in the film, I won’t be running to purchase and read the book.
Act 3 came as a shock and dramatic change of tone.
The movie poster is so dark that it’s hard to understand what’s being said.
TIPS FOR PARENTS:
Kids will be bored.
A young woman pleasures herself.
Drunkenness
Some profanity, including F-bombs
Some violence and blood
A lesbian awakening is portrayed
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Anne Hathaway and Thomasin McKenzie headline this otherwise forgettable 60s set noir thriller based on the 2015 novel of the same name about a young woman who forms an unexpectedly dangerous bond with an older woman she meets working at her local correctional facility, while also navigating her broken home life with her abusive alcoholic father (Shea Wigham). The film is a rather slow burn, and the period atmosphere is fun to watch at times, but it's all in service of a relatively straightforward story that plays it relatively safe for the most part. And while Hathaway and McKenzie both make for a compelling onscreen duo at times, it simply can't overcome an overall underwhelming execution and ending that fizzles things out rather disappointingly.
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Cinematography deserves a mention, but otherwise I think this movie fell a bit short on what it was trying to be. I thought it was kinda boring.
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Realmente no tengo nada que decir sobre esta película, lo cual ya de por sí dice mucho. En una semana no recordaré ni el título.
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Not sure what the author was going for but it had little appeal to me. A low esteem girl living out sexual & homicidal fantasies didn't appeal to me.
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Awards
Film Independent Spirit Awards
• 3 Nominations
Girls on Film Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Greater Western New York Film Critics Association Awards
• 1 Nomination
