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 | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing violent and sexual content

Did You Know?

Trivia

Chan-wook Park first noticed Mia Wasikowska when he saw her in the zombie short film I Love Sarah Jane (2008).

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Goofs

(at around 1 hour 20 mins) When the sheriff is leaving the house, India and Charles say, "Goodbye Sheriff," and India's hair changes from neat to disheveled between shots.

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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

Featured in Film 2017: Episode dated 27 February 2013 (2013)

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Soundtracks

Stoker Piano Duet #1
Written by Philip Glass
Performed by Sugar Vendil and Trevor Gureckis

User Reviews

Intriguing and disturbing

Without the appropriate cinematic skills, this film could have sunk completely, but thanks to Chan-wook Park being a master of psychological thriller, it came to be a nice work of art. A great manipulator of the audience's emotions, he meticulously constructs the movie in such a way to get you exactly where he wants you throughout it. He might be a little bold, but he knows how to keep the balance.

"Stoker" obliges you to stay fully conscious all the time to keep up with the symbolisms and invites you to use your imagination. The director wants a participating audience, is ambiguous on purpose, loves to make us wonder and speculate just as much as he loves leaving us room for interpretation when the film ends. Deliberate loose ends and cut scenes, designed to confuse the viewer and cause uncertainty.

Much like with his all-time classic, puzzling masterpiece "Oldboy", Park wants to disturb you. An exciting, twisted story, very powerful scenes, even scenes that many people won't be able to tolerate. A compelling story about dark nature and sickness, about liberating yourself and becoming aware of your desires. Violence is portrayed with scenes focused on beauty, and sexuality is portrayed dark and repressed.

I liked the script by Wentworth Miller (although I don't think the script gets full credit for the suspense created here), and I found Mia Wasikowska's performance superb.

This film is dark and might make you feel disgusted or uncomfortable. But for me, the beauty of the scenes, the emotions it provokes and how it climaxes, made me think of it as a piece of music.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French Italian

Release Date:

1 March 2013 (UK)

Also Known As:

Stoker

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