Regression

Name: Regression
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Crime
Released: February 5, 2016
Duration: 106 min
Rating: 32
Cast: Dale Dickey, David Thewlis, Emma Watson, Ethan Hawke

2016

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 84 Ratings

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5.3

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5.3	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 84 Ratings

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Regression

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Movie Details & Credits

Weinstein Company, The | Release Date: February 5, 2016 | R

Starring: Dale Dickey, David Thewlis, Emma Watson, Ethan Hawke

Summary: Minnesota, 1990. Detective Bruce Kenner (Ethan Hawke) investigates the case of young Angela (Emma Watson), who accuses her father, John Gray (David Dencik), of an unspeakable crime. When John unexpectedly and without recollection admits guilt, renowned psychologist Dr. Raines (David Thewlis) is brought in to help him relive his memories andMinnesota, 1990. Detective Bruce Kenner (Ethan Hawke) investigates the case of young Angela (Emma Watson), who accuses her father, John Gray (David Dencik), of an unspeakable crime. When John unexpectedly and without recollection admits guilt, renowned psychologist Dr. Raines (David Thewlis) is brought in to help him relive his memories and what they discover unmasks a horrifying nationwide mystery.… Expand

Director: Alejandro Amenábar

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 106 min

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Critic Reviews

Jonathan Holland

Sep 26, 2015

This carefully-crafted tale of collective psychosis, satanic ritual abuse and pseudo-science, starring Ethan Hawke and Emma Watson, is satisfying as a compact, if over-cautious, horror-tinged psychological thriller. But it's most interesting beneath its polished, doomy surface, where complex concerns about the cultural origins of our fears are skillfully explored. Read full review

C. Molly Smith

Feb 10, 2016

While Regression does, for the most part, deliver simmering suspense — and with Watson and Thewlis together, it’s fun (and weird) to see a mini-Harry Potter reunion — the script often falls flat, and the film sometimes leans too heavily on the score to telegraph an ominous tone. Read full review

The Film Stage John Fink

Feb 11, 2016

The material is simply too thin to support a 106-minute-long version of this story without veering into boredom as the path to the confession is a tediously predictable one. Read full review

Drew Hunt

Feb 4, 2016

It spends a lot of time considering the fear of knowing, which may explain why Alejandro Amenábar didn’t seem to know what kind of film he was making. Read full review

Bilge Ebiri

Feb 9, 2016

Perhaps a story like this needed to be a drama. Or maybe, with its constant, almost comical shifting of blame, a dark satire. Instead, it’s wound up as the worst of all possible alternatives: a disposable genre movie that cannot scare, convince, or enlighten. Read full review

Robert Abele

Feb 5, 2016

Well-intended seriousness dismantles Regression, a not-exactly-horror horror movie that's also a mystery with no mystery. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Oct 27, 2015

It’s a crunching disappointment: a dull, crass, formulaic and frankly misjudged chiller. Read full review

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User Reviews

phj1986

Feb 22, 2016

Well made movie. Quite suspenseful at times. Overall quite good; disappointed with the poor reviews. This was a Good movie. Interesting to say the least. I hope more people see it.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

LeZee

May 14, 2016

When the case needs a physical evidence, but it can't reach to get one.

Well, it is an investigation theme, something like the Oscar winner 'Spotlight'. After a teen girl Angela was reported of the sexual abuse, a detective named Bruce takes a special interest in solving the case. WithWhen the case needs a physical evidence, but it can't reach to get one.

Well, it is an investigation theme, something like the Oscar winner 'Spotlight'. After a teen girl Angela was reported of the sexual abuse, a detective named Bruce takes a special interest in solving the case. With the help of a psychologist, lots of ugly truth comes out. But the lack of the solid evidence makes the case slowly slip away from his hands. While his desperate effort to find whoever behind it, it only affect more Angela and her family. So how the story end is told with a twist in the third act.

It was inspired by the real events of the late 80s. About the rise of the Satanic culture when panic was among the peoples of the United States. One of the best investigative films, with well developed mysteries around the plot. I found hard to predict, especially the twist was simple, but unexpected. Ms Watson was okay, but Ethan Hawke was excellent. From an awesome filmmaker, another wonderful film, yet not anywhere near to his other great works.

Whenever a film based on the real, especially about crimes reveals the truth, we the people believe it and pour our supports to the victim. In that perspective, this film tests our capability to understand between the good and bad. Sometimes the things are not what it is supposed to be because of the overlook. Such theme was this that neatly narrated on the screen.

I know this is not a masterpiece, but I don't understand why it is very underrated. This is actually a better psychological-thriller you would find in the recent time. Forget what the critics say, just give it a try, obviously it is slow, but in the end you would find it worth, at least most of you.

7/10… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Ralfbergs

Aug 25, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Decent movie which keeps you guessing, even though at some point it is quite predictable who is the real villain there. Still, the suspense was ok, even though at some points story gets a bit weird and boring, but besides that the movie is decent… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

RobBob99

Jul 31, 2016

Director Alejandro Amenábar tries to recreate the style of the classic neo-noir thrillers as seen in the older days of Hollywood. While I appeciate the old fashioned approach to this story, it doesn't really work all that well. While he does build some good atmosphere at times and gets aDirector Alejandro Amenábar tries to recreate the style of the classic neo-noir thrillers as seen in the older days of Hollywood. While I appeciate the old fashioned approach to this story, it doesn't really work all that well. While he does build some good atmosphere at times and gets a very good Ethan Hawke performance, the whole film is a mess from the lack of character development, compelling dialogue and an often slow burn pace. Regression's ending: Possibly the worst of any movie of 2016 so far.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Iamcritical86

Jan 9, 2021

I was gonna give Regression a 5, but after some more thought, I think a 4 is the best I can do. I feel like this picture had more potential than what we end up getting stiffed with in the final vehicle. It was just so long and dragged out. In the right hands, and with some tweaking of theI was gonna give Regression a 5, but after some more thought, I think a 4 is the best I can do. I feel like this picture had more potential than what we end up getting stiffed with in the final vehicle. It was just so long and dragged out. In the right hands, and with some tweaking of the script, I think this film would have fared better. And Emma Watson's so-called acting in Regression is SO bad, it's actually hilarious. That scene where she tried to cry and act all hysterical??... and not one single tear!?? Wow! How in the name of Ala does that woman STILL have a job in show business?… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

EpicLadySponge

May 10, 2016

Regression usually spends its time finding nothing in the pond. (No fish, no love, no service). That's the rules of being in the pond and Regression doesn't have service whatsoever.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Broyax

Jan 26, 2020

Nom de nom, rien ne va dans ce film y compris pourtant l'agréable et très bon casting fort mal utilisé ici... avec par exemple la si mignonne Emma censée jouer une... mineure ? victime d'abus sexuel ? vous l'avez bien regardée Emma, on est plus dans Harry Potter là... putain ! de touteNom de nom, rien ne va dans ce film y compris pourtant l'agréable et très bon casting fort mal utilisé ici... avec par exemple la si mignonne Emma censée jouer une... mineure ? victime d'abus sexuel ? vous l'avez bien regardée Emma, on est plus dans Harry Potter là... putain ! de toute façon, je ne sais pas comment ça se fait, elle a l'air bête...

Mais Ethan Hawke n'est pas vraiment mieux logé dans son rôle de flic constipé, tout comme le reste de ce film à tendance satanique mais sans les exorcismes... on est en effet dans de l'enquête policière à deux balles (à deux dollars) menée péniblement par un Amenabar complètement à l'ouest qui n'arrive pas à susciter ou à donner la moindre once d'intérêt à son film sans but qui tourne en rond sur lui-même... comme un con.

On arrête les dégâts bien avant la fin parce qu'on sent qu'on va "régresser" nous aussi : ce film est un métronome endormisseur !… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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