Cuckoo (2024 film)
Cuckoo | |
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Directed by | Tilman Singer |
Written by | Tilman Singer |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Paul Faltz |
Edited by |
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Music by | Simon Waskow |
Production companies |
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Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 102 minutes[1] |
Countries |
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Language | English |
Cuckoo is a 2024 horror film written and directed by Tilman Singer. The film stars Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens and Jessica Henwick.
It had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival on February 16, 2024. It is scheduled to be released in the United States by Neon on May 3, 2024, and in Germany on July 18, 2024.
Cast
- 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
It 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.[2] 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 and July 2022, and was shot on 35mm film.[4][5]
Release
Cuckoo had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in the Berlinale Special section on February 16, 2024.[6] It also screened at South by Southwest on March 14, 2024, and at the Overlook Film Festival on April 4, 2024.[7][8] The film is scheduled to be released in the United States by Neon on May 3, 2024,[9] and later in Germany by Weltkino Filmverleih on July 18, 2024.[10]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 78% of 23 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6/10.[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 55 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[12]
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".[13] 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."[14] Jessica Kiang of Variety called it "an energetically outlandish fusion of stylish atmospherics, old-school reproductive horror and pro-flickknife advertorial".[1]
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".[15] Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph gave the film a score of two out of five, writing that is exudes "more uncertainty than discipline, this wackadoo horror-thriller from German writer-director Tilman Singer can't decide if wearing a smirk will see it through a sloppily developed plot, which keeps promising more than it delivers. With another redraft, a tauter edit, it might have snapped into focus".[16]
References
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ 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 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.
- ^ Squires, John (February 5, 2024). "Hunter Schafer Horror Movie Cuckoo Dated for May 2024 Theatrical Release". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
- ^ "Cuckoo - 2024". Spielfilm.de (in German). Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ^ "Cuckoo". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ "Cuckoo". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 13, 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Robey, Tim (February 16, 2024). "Cuckoo: a wackadoo horror-thriller that promises more than it delivers". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
External links
- Official website at Neon
- Cuckoo at IMDb