The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

A father and son, both coroners, are pulled into a complex mystery while attempting to identify the body of a young woman, who was apparently harboring dark secrets.

Director:

André Øvredal

Writers:

Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing

Stars:

Brian Cox, Emile Hirsch, Ophelia Lovibond

7 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Brian Cox	...	Tommy
Emile Hirsch	...	Austin
Ophelia Lovibond	...	Emma
Michael McElhatton	...	Sheriff Burke
Olwen Catherine Kelly	...	Jane Doe (as Olwen Kelly)
Jane Perry	...	Lieutenant Wade
Parker Sawyers	...	Trooper Cole
Mary Duddy	...	Irene Daniels
Mark Phoenix	...	Louis Tannis
Sydney	...	Stanley the Cat

Storyline

Cox and Hirsch play father and son coroners who receive a mysterious homicide victim with no apparent cause of death. As they attempt to identify the beautiful young "Jane Doe," they discover increasingly bizarre clues that hold the key to her terrifying secrets.

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Plot Keywords:

autopsy | morgue | escape attempt | cause of death | severed tongue | 

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Taglines:

Every body has a secret.

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for bloody horror violence, unsettling grisly images, graphic nudity, and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site Official Site [France]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

La morgue

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

42, IM Global, Impostor Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stephen King said of the film, "THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE: Visceral horror to rival ALIEN and early Cronenberg. Watch it, but not alone."

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Goofs

Just before Austin writes the Roman numerals on the chalk board, you can see the faded lines of "X" and "I" in the very place Austin is about to write, indicating that the set of Roman numerals was written there prior and erased, likely during scene blocking or an outtake.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Trooper Cole: Sheriff, you gotta get down here.
Sheriff Burke: We got an ID on her?
Trooper Cole: No, sir. No relation to Paul and Carol.
Lieutenant Wade: Who's she?
Sheriff Burke: Well, for now, she's a Jane Doe.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the "Special thanks" section, the last entry is the single word: "Troll". André Øvredal's previous movie was "Troll Hunter" (2010).

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Connections

References The Notebook (2004)

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Soundtracks

Farming Man
Written by Michael Richard Hendrix
Performed by Tennessee River Crooks
Courtesy of Fervor Records

User Reviews

If you like horror, see this

I'm a big horror fan and this is the best little horror yarn I've seen in ages.

Well acted, with some recognisable faces. Brian Cox is great as the small town coroner that leads the autopsy on the titular body, in one scene he even managed to give me a sad lump in the throat which was an unexpected feeling during an unnerving horror flick. Emile Hirsch plays his son and assistant and though he's good doesn't have as much impact as Cox. Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton) makes an appearance as the town sheriff.

Where this film really succeeds is in doing something a lot of modern horror has forgotten about - it toys with the viewers imagination, creating an uneasy feeling out of the narrative, half light, sound and shadow. This is not to say you don't get to see anything grotesque or unsettling, as certain scenes are not for the squeamish.

I don't want to spoil the story but will say this, the resolution is not quite as good as the build up. It's very hard for a horror film, especially one that plays on fear and the imagination, to deliver a conclusion that is suitably unsettling - this one half succeeds. But the ride is more than worth it and the ending is far from a failure.

If you like horror, watch this.