The Skeleton Key

Name: The Skeleton Key
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror
Released: August 12, 2005
Duration: 104 min
Rating: 47
Cast: Joy Bryant, Kate Hudson, Peter Sarsgaard

2005

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 441 Ratings

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8.5

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 441 Ratings

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The Skeleton Key

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: August 12, 2005 | R

Starring: Joy Bryant, Kate Hudson, Peter Sarsgaard

Summary: This contemporary supernatural thrilled, set largely in the dark atmospheric backwoods just outside of New Orleans, stars Hudson as a live-in nurse hired to care for an elderly woman's (Rowlands) ailing husband (Hurt) in their home...a foreboding and decrepit mansion in the Louisiana delta. (Universal Pictures)

Director: Iain Softley

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

Rating: R

Runtime: 104 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Scott Brown

For anyone zombified by creaky thriller clichés, Skeleton is a fine little shot in the head. Read full review

William Arnold

It's far from strikingly original, but it's well-acted, skillfully plotted and moderately chilling, and it's something slightly different in the haunted-house genre. Read full review

Mike Clark

Director Iain Softley employs intriguing camera angles to heighten some of the suspense. It's too bad the movie goes over the top and falls apart in the last third. Read full review

Jennie Punter

A fine, solid cast and fully exploited settings cannot make up for the by-the-numbers screenplay, which is filled with all-too-convenient plot points. Read full review

Scott Foundas

The Skeleton Key takes its time making a slow, creeping ascent, but once it starts plummeting downward, Softley keeps things moving at a furious pace, and both Hudson and Rowlands enjoy surrendering themselves to the grandiloquent lunacy of it all. Read full review

Pete Vonder Haar

Isn’t exactly dull, but it isn’t scary either. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

A top-notch cast was gathered and then wasted in this atmospheric but prosaic hoodoo spooker. Read full review

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User Reviews

Pheromone

Apr 8, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When Luke (Peter Sarsgaard) is talking to Caroline (Kate Hudson) in her room, Violet (Gena Rowlands) walks in and says "so you two kids are getting to know each other", to which Luke replies that she (Violet) is the only woman in his life. This foreshadows the twist about Luke's and Violet's true identities.… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

Bisect

Apr 17, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Why the twist at the end of the movie is very disturbing.

I thought this movie was great because of the twist at the end. I have seen this movie on a couple of occasions and 2 out of 3 people miss the most creepy and disturbing part of the whole movie. The funny thing about this movie is that the sacrifices all started with the children of the wealthy banker. Papa Justify and Mama Cecile took over the children's bodies during the party and then the people at the party hung and burned the children thinking it was the servants. That in itself was disturbing. They then shot the wealthy banker & his wife, then took over the house and lived there until they took over the new couples bodies in 1962.… Expand

7 of 7 users found this helpful70

Nyctophobic200

Feb 14, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Caroline Ellis: It's like, hypnotism, right? Suggestion? And when this stuff works, its because someone believes it works?.. And if you thought, you know, that magic made you sick... you might believe in a magic cure?
Mama Cynthia: Somebody been workin' roots on you.
Caroline Ellis: Say I knew someone who thought that they'd been.
Mama Cynthia: Crossed?
Caroline Ellis: Crossed. Would they believe that they could be... uncrossed?… Expand

24 of 24 users found this helpful240

Acquit77

Jul 20, 2021

⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙●■●■●■●■●■●■●■●■
÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

DezM.

Apr 8, 2006

Suspenseful movie and pretty good acting, but if you've seen Burnt Offerings (from 1976) and Die Die My Darling! (from the 1960s), you've already seen it. It is not an original movie -- it is a remake.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

SkipH.

Aug 24, 2005

Three days later this movie is still running thru my head. It's one of those movies that moves like the first few chapters of an undiscussed suspense novel.. Minimum Shock & Boo.. Unsure of where it's going to go but interesting enough to continue. But the ending made what Three days later this movie is still running thru my head. It's one of those movies that moves like the first few chapters of an undiscussed suspense novel.. Minimum Shock & Boo.. Unsure of where it's going to go but interesting enough to continue. But the ending made what preceded disturbing.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

JosephS

Dec 4, 2005

Its like unintentionally funny multiplied itself by unintentionally funny and they canceled eachother out.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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64	#64 Most Discussed Movie of 2005
61	#61 Most Shared Movie of 2005