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Swallow
12A (UNITED KINGDOM)
2020
MOVIE IS
psychological
fascinating
empowering
mesmerizing
ambitious
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90 %
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Certified-fresh
$ 0 Million
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Swallow
Positive Reviews
86
Negative reviews
26
Average Rating
3.5
/5
psychological
fascinating
empowering
mesmerizing
ambitious
All
Positive
Negative
4.5
It takes some crazy risks at around the 50 minute markincluding a lengthy, dialogue heavy, static scene in which you realize the movie has never reall ..
Rogerebert
4.4
Unlike many pregnancy themed horror movies, Swallow, quite radically, doesnt linger on the monstrosity of the body and transformations that come with ..
Rogerebert
2.0
This bracing look at the oppressiveness of gender roles may feel a bit familiar for most of its running time, but the films breathless final passage s ..
Indie Wire
4.5
By the end, characters who initially seemed so simple have taken on startlingly different personas, revealing the true face of an oppressive system in ..
Variety
4.0
This is Bennetts show... Its a role you can imagine a young Isabelle Huppert playing, and theres no higher praise than that.
Time Out
3.8
Fortunately for the film, Carlo Mirabella Davis continually springs scenes that either transcend or justify his preaching.
3.8
In Swallow, Bennett finally comes into her own as the kind of leading lady who is more than just a pretty face, and can occupy the screen and hold it, ..
4.5
Like Safe, though, this isnt about one persons obsession, but a lurking widespread fear.
Screen Daily
4.5
Its about a woman sleepwalking toward doom, even if that doom doesnt involve the supernatural or a knife wielding slasher.
Vulture
1.5
But the stylized look cant redeem the simplistic characterizations.
The Hollywood Reporter
3.5
He also delicately extracts a mysterious and beautiful performance from Bennett.
1.5
Neither the payoff nor the psychology behind her actions makes Swallow an illuminating enough addition to the woman on the verge of a nervous breakdow ..
The New York Times
4.5
None of this is especially new, but Cole and Krody have taken a number of familiar genre tropes and breathes new life into them with a screenplay that ..
E Film Critic
4.5
At times, youre unable to believe what youre seeing and yet unable to look away.
2.5
This is a movie that cries out for attention, in ways both admirable and grating.
The Globe And Mail
2.0
Carries undeniable power, even if watching it will probably make you feel a bit queasy.
One Guys Opinion
3.8
With every fresh exercise of control, every perceived betrayal, Hunter seems more desperate and lost.
Rogers Movie Nation
3.0
Mirabella Davis skillfully reaches some interesting psychological spaces as the feature conjures plenty of compelling darkness.
Blu Ray
3.8
She largely doesnt have a life outside of being shown off to Richies coworkers or carrying a child.
Chicago Reader
2.5
he disgust and uneasiness ... overshadow our ability to sympathize with the character...
Mark Reviews Movies
3.0
Bennett... is the real deal as a woman imprisoned by her own truth until she sets herself free, happier flown her gilded cage, and Mirabella Daviss fe ..
3.0
Some may cringe, some may turn away, but none can deny that this a unique film going experience from first time feature writer director Carlo Mirabell ..
4.0
This film had me sobbing. Haley Bennetts performance is captivating.
You Tube
3.6
I think people should see it. I think theres so much that does work in this movie.
You Tube
4.0
When Hunter gets the news that shes expecting, it doesnt really feel like its hers (Were pregnant!
Rolling Stone
1.5
There are really two contending films inside Swallow that, if given the opportunity and the space to do so, could have been fascinating as separate en ..
The Wrap
3.8
The disorder, called pica, isnt a widely relatable one, and its hard to watch.
New York Post
2.5
Half a century ago, this would have been radical. Today, its banal. The slick postwar aesthetic is emblematic of a male filmmakers understanding of wo ..
4.5
An outstanding, hauntingly beautiful film filled with evocative overtones about the long lasting effects of trauma.
Cinema Crazed
4.5
Indeed, I cant recall a horror film with such sumptuous use of reds and blues since the original version of Suspiria.
Film Inquiry
4.5
A daring, accomplished piece of work, Swallow will leave you feeling unsettled in all the right ways.
Eye For Film
4.0
Swallow exists as such a clever and condemning allegory its almost infuriating (in the wow thats top notch way).
Flickering Myth
4.5
Swallow is honestly as close to perfect of a thriller as one can get, it has surprises around every corner, but they arent executed in a bombastic fas ..
Flim Threet
2.0
A fairy tale shot in sunlight but chillingly black hearted at its core, Swallow is a mesmerizing look at Hunter, a trophy wife trapped, ignored and su ..
Boston Herald
2.0
It all leads towards a heart wrenching series of events that shed light on how Hunter got here.
The Film Stage
2.5
Director Mirabella Davis works an interesting territory between the subjects more ghoulish genre aspects and probing the heroines churning emotions an ..
Boston Globe
4.0
As with the objects that appeal to Hunter, theres a magical aura around Swallow.
The Irish Times
4.5
She easily earns our affection and laughs with her endearingly vacant personality.
Birth Movies Death
4.5
Sparsely written, beautifully shot, and expertly performed, its a moving exploration of a condition most would simply laugh or scoff at.
Birth Movies Death
4.5
In doing so, hes created a film that is alive with humor, horror, and humanity, and positively punctured with surprises.
Pajiba
4.4
This is an intimate, masterfully modulated character study of abuse, isolation, depression and obsession that grows in chillingly personal impact as i ..
Movie Freak
2.0
Swallow is Bennetts show: she plays delicate, doting and disturbed with a fragility that is hypnotizing.
Detroit News
4.4
This isnt a story of movie mental illness, its a work that contains significant authenticity.
Aisle Seat
4.0
It doesnt show pica the way many films depict neurodivergenceas a cute quirkor offer easy answers.
Hey U Guys
2.0
Like one Tribeca audience member, the bracing Swallow might make you faint, whether because you cant watch Haley Bennett gulp down a thumbtack or beca ..
The Play List
4.5
Do yourself a favor and dont read about it until after youve finished.
Film School Rejects
4.4
At its best, its equal parts fascinating and repellent, like a particularly effective episode of Autopsy.
Ar Kansas Online
2.0
Like the equally sublime The Assistant from earlier this year, Swallow is a movie of subtle observations that when added up evolve into a horror show ..
Patriot Ledger
2.0
Hunter does a lot of standing and staring in the film, but what goes on behind that stare doesnt seem to interest Mirabella Davis enough to explore in ..
Film
4.4
In addition to Bennetts masterful performance, David Rasche serves up his usual dependable turn that feels normal until it doesnt while Elizabeth Marv ..
3.5
This compulsion, whatever it is, feels good, but theres more to it than that.
Punch Drunk Critics
3.5
Its a highly stylized feature that isnt without its thematic relevance.
We Live Entertainment
2.0
Later on we will learn shes been self punishing herself for perceived sins (now were talking Freudian!).
Dennis Schwartz Reviews
3.0
The way Bennett portrays Hunter slowly regaining her agency in the only way she knows how to is masterfully done.
One Room With A View
2.5
Haley Bennetts turn deserves to be seen outside of the festival circuit, but the film itself doesnt earn that same esteem.
Awards Circuit
4.5
Swallow Photo : Fantasia Film Festival Advertisement Carlo Mirabella Davis feature debut Swallow would be worth recommending if it was simply an impec ..
Film Avclub
4.5
Scare Package USA, Various I just dont know about all the meta stuff.
Bfi
4.4
Like Raw and Are We Not Cats before it, Swallow is a weird one, and thats high praise.
Third Coast Review
4.0
A subtle and disquieting performance from Haley Bennett is the major selling point of Swallow, which fluctuates from a drastically visceral Cronenberg ..
Ion Cinema
1.5
If youre not going to show the jarring part of the retrieval process, then dont show the trophies.
Fw Weekly
1.3
He actually doesnt seem like a horrible guy hes not abusive, like Elisabeth Moss boyfriend in Invisible Man but hes surely just as self absorbed.
Datebook Sfchronicle
3.5
Though Hunter quite literally lives in a glass house, shes more likely to gulp down stones than throw them.
Spectrum Culture
4.5
Ever feel ignored while in plain sight Would you consume objects for attention Hayley Bennett does with the face and voice of a troubled angel in this ..
Wp Me
4.5
By depicting the interiority of someone with extreme privilege, it unintentionally becomes a good film for this strange, anxiety inducing, isolating m ..
Washington City Paper
4.5
Shot in a gorgeously uncomfortable way, Swallow is, at times, a great body horror picture.
Screen Anarchy
2.0
Swallow is a fascinating descent into the age old battle of womens rights and the societal norms expected of them and how that can lead down a dark an ..
The Only Critic
4.5
The truth is women continue to fight for control and ownership over their own bodies. Its a bitter pill to swallow, and Swallow doesnt sugar coat it.
Firstpost
3.0
...until that slightly disappointing final act or so, this is certainly a movie with, ahem, guts.
Adelaide Review
2.0
Swallow is listed as a horror film, but it isnt frightening in terms of jump scares.
Mac Guff
4.5
Swallow is indeed a terrifying horror movie, but one that says more about everyday life reminding the audience that the scariest things can be in our ..
Battle Royale With Cheese
1.5
The main problem was that Wonder Woman did not seem in control of her own sequel.
Kpbs
3.5
A rather provocative psychological thriller that highlights sharp observations on domestic life, lack of affection and emotional repression with a pow ..
3.5
The story is hypnotic, the visuals are gorgeous and Haley Bennett gives a great performance. An impressive debut by Carlo Mirabella Davis.
2.5
A valid premise hidden in a movie with too many obstacles to be understood. .
3.0
The film doesnt rely on classic scare tactics as much as on anticipation and restlessness; at times, just the mere image of something sharp is enough ..
Bust
2.0
Swallow is buoyed by a brilliantly delicate performance from Haley Bennett, who resembles a hybrid of Michelle Williams and Jennifer Lawrence and may ..
The Reader (Omaha, NE)
4.0
Indeed, Bennett here is every ounce as believable and touching and transfixing as the great Julianne Moore as Hayness brittle heroine.
Maddwolf
4.0
An expectant mother develops a taste for marbles, pins and worse in Swallow, a challenging body horror flick some will find unpalatable, but is worth ..
Student Edge
2.8
The ending was a bummer, but I still think Bennetts performance is so strong and the movie is well made enough to recommend it.
rachelsreviews.net
4.5
An often gut wrenching and compelling examination of how hard it can be to live up to the expectations of others, with Swallow, filmmaker Carlo Mirabe ..
Daily Dead
2.0
Swallow feels like the result of watching one too many episodes of TLCs My Strange Addiction and deciding to use the lurid backdrop of pica to paint a ..
Silver Screen Riot
1.5
What isnt there is a clear indication that Swallow is a story about a woman seeking control.
The Muse Jezebel
4.0
It reminds us why we go to the movies, and how all those smoke and mirrors can tease out our sense of wonder.
Brightest Young Things
4.0
Swallow certainly echoes the intricate tendencies of a feminine lost soul left to her hidden mental devices. Absorbing, contemplative and probing...lo ..
Flick Feast
4.4
he psychological thriller can be hard to ingest but Haley Bennetts mesmerizing performance helps it go down easy.
Victoria Advocate
5.0
A remarkably rebellious film, filled with a kind of sly, anarchic energy from which one wants to greedily drink as it cracks through, and pours from, ..
MSN
4.0
Swallow is a confident, uncomfortable, and nasty little film that will make you think twice about what it truly means to have agency.
That Shelf
3.5
But theres much to admire about Swallow and it makes for an impressive feminist thriller that puts a spotlight on a subject rarely given the time of d ..
The Digital Fix
3.8
Beginning with a calligraphic, gorgeous title sequence, Mirabella Daviss slight horror, heavy drama features a collection of incredible visuals and st ..
Awards Watch
4.5
Then theres Mitchell Lichtensteins Teeth, Roman Polanskis pregnancy thriller Rosemarys Baby, which doesnt contain a hint of physical violence, and Joh ..
Arts Fuse
4.0
A full bank account doesnt mean a perfect life, and this movie creates that space for the character.
High Def Digest
5.0
Sheer cinematic perfection, its hard to find a debut feature as expertly constructed as this.
The Hollywood News
4.5
Even if you arent too keen on watching this character study play out, you should definitely stay for the body horror.
1.5
Carlo Mirabella Daviss debut film starts with good intentions, but takes one too many turns to make logical sense.
Cosmopolitan
4.0
Its a film about female trauma, past and present, and the ability to overcome. Gorgeously executed and provocative, Swallow is one of the most viscera ..
Time Of India
1.5
This is minor Pixar at best, Im afraid... Theyve turned their back on their art form and the animation is just supporting talk, talk, and more talk.
FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los A ..
4.5
In her portrayal of this troubled soul, actress Bennett does a chilling but impressive performance as someone who seems mild mannered on the outside b ..
4.4
Bennett gives a stunning performance as she embraces the complexities of this role, showing us a troubled young woman forced to peel away the many lay ..
Reel Talk with Chuck and P ..
4.5
Writer/director Carlo Mirabella Davis script and direction, paired with Katelin Arizmendis lush photography and Bennetts performance, craft a disturbi ..
Awfj
4.5
Swallow doesnt always go down smoothly but it does expose how marriage can be a trap, family skeletons continue to rattle and freedom is just another ..
Awfj
0.5
Slowly, however, it dawns with what is nothing less than an immaculate sense of timing on writer/director Mirabella Daviss part that this isnt even re ..
Awfj
4.5
Its an extraordinary performance in an entertaining and triumphant story.
Newport This Week
3.0
She becomes something of an empowering figure, and while the tone doesnt match much of what came before it, theres no question that the character hers ..
The Filtered Lens
3.5
Now, you might be thinking something very dirty based on the title of the film, but you could not be further from the truth...well, there is a scene o ..
Orcasound
1.5
Swallow is able to not bite off more than it can chew as it provides unsettling commentary on the nature of toxic marriages.
4.4
A mesmerizing and beautifully shot feature that left me feeling haunted.
MovieJawn
1.5
And indeed, it doesnt take long for Hunter to put something strange in her own mouth.
Wicked Horror
3.0
Swallow comes closer than most, but as the song goes, almost doesnt count.
A Reel of One's Own
3.5
The film may prove a little too strange, and perhaps a little too slow for mainstream inclined audiences, but appreciators of the weird and uncomforta ..
The AU Review
4.0
Writer and director Carlo Mirabella Daviss first feature is both a superb and distressing pastel colored portrait of the crumbling psyche of a housewi ..
Next Best Picture
4.5
The Hunt has a jokey tone, but its broad (and gory) ersatz satire isnt ironical or nuanced enough to justify a claim that its anything but reactionary ..
48 Hills
4.5
Swallow explores the complexities of mental illness, abortion and rape with an empathy and humanity rarely afforded to these subjects in contemporary ..
Phawker
4.0
Simultaneously enthralling and unnerving, Swallow revels in the uncomfortable. Whether thats eating a tack or forcing us and our heroine to face her p ..
Gayly Dreadful
3.8
Despite the bizarre premise, Swallow is one of the most intriguing watches of 2020. Its worth a look. It may be an acquired tasted for some, but it wi ..
4.0
This is an empowering little film that doesnt necessarily push its theme over its horror elements.
High on Films
4.5
Bergs direction is kinetic and eye popping, even if the criminal conspiracy theory Wahlbergs punch drunk Spenser uncovers will feel overly familiar to ..
Fortune
3.0
Endings, Beginnings: B Full disclosure: I was fully prepared to despise Drake Doremus Endings, Beginnings.
Films Woon
2.0
Mirabella Davis tells this story without the need for transgression or complications, which makes Swallow begin to feel like a carnival sideshow.
See Where to Watch
Swallow