Cuckoo is a 2024 horror-thriller film written and directed by Tilman Singer. The film stars Hunter Schafer, Jan Bluthardt, Marton Csokas, Jessica Henwick, and Dan Stevens. It follows a teenager who moves to live with her father at the German Alps but becomes disturbed by strange occurrences, as her family gets embroiled by her father's boss in a sinister plot.
Cuckoo | |
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Directed by | Tilman Singer |
Written by | Tilman Singer |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Paul Faltz |
Edited by |
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Music by | Simon Waskow |
Production companies | |
Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 103 minutes[2] |
Countries |
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Language | English |
Cuckoo had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival on February 16, 2024, and is scheduled to be released in Germany on August 8, 2024, and in the United States on August 9, 2024.
Cast
edit- Hunter Schafer as Gretchen
- Dan Stevens as Mr. König
- Jessica Henwick as Beth
- Jan Bluthardt as Henry
- Marton Csokas as Luis
- Greta Fernández as Trixie
- Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey as Ed
- Konrad Singer as Erik
- Proschat Madani as Dr. Bonomo
- Kalin Morrow as The Hooded Woman
Production
editIt was reported in August 2021 that Tilman Singer would be writing and directing his second film for Neon, with Hunter Schafer, John Malkovich, Gemma Chan, and Sofia Boutella set to star.[1] In July 2022, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, Marton Csokas, and Greta Fernández joined the cast, while Malkovich and Chan dropped out due to "timing issues".[3]
Cuckoo is a co-production with Germany's Fiction Park and the United States' Waypoint Entertainment.[3] Principal photography took place in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, over a span of 35 days from May to July 2022 and was shot on 35mm film.[4][5]
Release
edit2024 festivals
editCuckoo had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in the Berlinale Specials section on February 16.[6] It also screened at South by Southwest on March 14 and at the Overlook Film Festival on April 4.[7][8] It opened at London's Raindance Film Festival on June 19 as part of the festival's special focus on Germany.[9] The film is set to play at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 30, 2024.[10]
Theatrical
editThe film is scheduled to be released in Germany by Weltkino Filmverleih on August 8, 2024.[11] The film was originally set to be released in the United States by Neon on May 3, 2024,[12] but the release date was pushed back to August 9, 2024.[13] It is scheduled to be released in the United Kingdom by Universal Pictures on August 23, 2024.[2]
Reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 81% of 36 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.4/10.[14] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 58 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[15]
Adam Solomons of IndieWire gave the film a C- grade, writing: "Yet the biggest crime of Cuckoo is that it won't lean into being a B-movie, something it might've been good at. The performances — especially Stevens' — are silly and sincere, and the action competent enough for Cuckoo to have worked as pure pulp. But this film takes itself too seriously and pokes fun at its own silliness, a fatal combination".[16] RogerEbert.com's Robert Daniels also praised Stevens, noting, "Every choice Stevens makes as Mr. König doubles as a lampoon and a threat, as equally hilarious and sadistic."[17] Jessica Kiang of Variety called it "an energetically outlandish fusion of stylish atmospherics, old-school reproductive horror and pro-flickknife advertorial".[18]
The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney ended his review with, "It's ultimately too silly to be truly chilling, but with Neon behind it, Cuckoo might just be cuckoo enough to draw some cult attention".[19]
References
edit- ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 31, 2021). "Hunter Schafer, John Malkovich, Gemma Chan & Sofia Boutella Board Neon Horror Pic Cuckoo". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
- ^ a b "Cuckoo (15)". BBFC. June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
- ^ a b Ravindran, Manori (July 8, 2022). "Hunter Schafer Horror Cuckoo Adds Dan Stevens and Jessica Henwick, Wraps Production in Germany". Variety. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ "Cuckoo: Cast, Plot, Filming Details, and Everything We Know So Far". Collider. April 17, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 5, 2023). "Sierra/Affinity Selling Foreign On Neon's Hunter Schafer Horror Movie Cuckoo At Cannes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (December 20, 2023). "Adam Sandler's Spaceman & Riley Keough-Jesse Eisenberg Pic Sasquatch Sunset Set For Berlinale Specials Line-Up". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- ^ Complex, Valerie (January 10, 2024). "SXSW Lineup Sets The Fall Guy, 3 Body Problem Among Fest's 2024 World Premieres As First Titles Revealed". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (March 6, 2024). "Universal Vampire Flick Abigail Set To Close Out Overlook Film Festival – View Full Lineup". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- ^ Tabbara, Mona (May 20, 2024). "Tilman Singer's Cuckoo starring Hunter Schafer to open UK's Raindance, full line-up revealed (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ "Fantasia's 28th Edition Awards Filmmaker Mike Flanagan, Closes with the World Premiere of André Forcier's Ababouiné". Fantasia International Film Festival. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ "Cuckoo - 2024". Spielfilm.de (in German). Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ^ Squires, John (February 5, 2024). "Hunter Schafer Horror Movie Cuckoo Dated for May 2024 Theatrical Release". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
- ^ Navarro, Meagan (March 28, 2024). "NEON's Horror Movie 'Cuckoo' Gets New Poster, New Release Date". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "Cuckoo". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
- ^ "Cuckoo". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ Solomons, Adam (February 16, 2024). "Cuckoo Review: Hunter Schafer Can't Save a Nonsensical Horror Movie That Drives Itself Insane". IndieWire. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ Daniels, Robert. "Berlin Film Festival 2024: Small Things Like These, Crossing, Cuckoo". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
- ^ Kiang, Jessica (February 16, 2024). "Cuckoo Review: A Superb Hunter Schafer is Menaced by a Loopy Dan Stevens in a Stylish, Enjoyably Incoherent Horror Romp". Variety. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ Rooney, David (February 16, 2024). "Cuckoo Review: Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens Keep You Glued Even When This Reproductive Horror Careens Off the Rails". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
External links
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