Stoker (2013)

After India's father dies, her Uncle Charlie, whom she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her unstable mother. She comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives and becomes increasingly infatuated with him.

Director:

Chan-wook Park

Writer:

Wentworth Miller

Stars:

Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode

4 wins & 45 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mia Wasikowska	...	India Stoker
Nicole Kidman	...	Evelyn Stoker
David Alford	...	Reverend
Matthew Goode	...	Charles Stoker
Peg Allen	...	Housekeeper 1
Lauren E. Roman	...	Housekeeper 2 (as Lauren Roman)
Phyllis Somerville	...	Mrs. McGarrick
Harmony Korine	...	Mr. Feldman
Lucas Till	...	Pitts
Alden Ehrenreich	...	Whip
Dominick 'Dino' Howard	...	Pitts' Friend
Jacki Weaver	...	Gwendolyn Stoker
Dermot Mulroney	...	Richard Stoker
Tyler von Tagen	...	Young Richard Stoker
Thomas A. Covert	...	Young Charles Stoker (as Thomas Covert)

Storyline

India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) was not prepared to lose her father and best friend Richard (Dermot Mulroney) in a tragic auto accident. The solitude of her woodsy family estate, the peace of her tranquil town, and the unspoken somberness of her home life are suddenly upended by not only this mysterious accident, but by the sudden arrival of her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), who she never knew existed. When Charlie moves in with her and her emotionally unstable mother Evie (Nicole Kidman), India thinks the void left by her father's death is finally being filled by his closest bloodline. Soon after his arrival, India comes to suspect that this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives. Yet instead of feeling outrage or horror, this friendless young woman becomes increasingly infatuated with him.

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Plot Keywords:

dead body in a freezer | playing piano | dead body | nude drawing | psychopath | 

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Taglines:

Do not disturb the family.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing violent and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French Italian

Release Date:

1 March 2013 (UK)

Also Known As:

Lazos perversos

Filming Locations:

Smyrna, Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$160,547, 3 March 2013

Gross USA:

$1,714,221

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,077,441

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Indian Paintbrush, Scott Free Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Datasat SDDS Dolby Atmos Dolby Surround 7.1

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although fourth billed, Dermot Mulroney only appears in four scenes and only one of those features dialogue.

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Goofs

(at around 57 mins) When India is pressing the number of Auntie Gin on her cellphone, she doesn't press the call button, but the end call button. In the next shot, her cellphone displays clock, not the dialing number.

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Quotes

[first lines]
India Stoker: My ears hear what others cannot hear; small faraway things people cannot normally see are visible to me. These senses are the fruits of a lifetime of longing, longing to be rescued, to be completed. Just as the skirt needs the wind to billow, I'm not formed by things that are of myself alone. I wear my father's belt tied around my mother's blouse, and shoes which are from my uncle. This is me. Just as a flower does not choose its color, we are not responsible for what we have come ...

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Crazy Credits

The credits scroll from top to bottom of the screen, rather than bottom to top, like in most scrolling end credits.

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Connections

References Psycho (1960)

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Soundtracks

Stride La Vampa (from Il Trovatore)
Written by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Viorica Cortez
Courtesy of Megatrax Production Music

User Reviews

A Potpourri of Vestiges Review: Chan-wook Park's ode to the Master of Suspense, Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock

Stoker, celebrated Korean director Chan-wook Park's English-language debut, is a dark, disturbing and diabolical film about an introspective young girl named India who witnesses the loss of innocence following the sudden and untimely death of her beloved father. In Stoker, Park's fixation for the bizarre and the morbid is once again on full display. But, he is clearly a bit more cautious than usual. He seems to keep his characters on a tight leash for a much longer duration, and this makes the movie's first half appear much slower and less hyper than a typical Park film. But, once the dust settles down, the viewer is treated to sheer mastery of Park's craft.

In Stoker, Park pays homage to the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Those who have seen Hitchcock's 1943 thriller Shadow of a Doubt wouldn't find it hard to draw parallels. Park limns a colorful canvas like only he can and his characters tread it like spirits caught in a limbo. While the characters are highly emotional, their strangely selfish actions make it difficult for the viewers to sympathize with them. Chung-hoon Chung's alluring cinematography gives the movie a hypnotic feel. The acting of movie's three lead characters viz. Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, and Matthew Goode is quite brilliant and in that order.

Overall, Stoker is an intriguing work of cinema that despite managing to stoke the fire of curiosity may still leave any keen-eyed, intelligent viewer high and dry. Those accustomed to watching the quintessential Hollywood product are likely to find Stoker very strange and deeply disturbing. But, if you are looking for something different to break your monotonous daily routine then Stoker will surely not disappoint you. 8/10

For more, please visit my film blogsite:

http://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/