A darkly comic, unnerving and occasionally chilling depiction of the sadistic psychopath inside. A man named Reed (Christopher Abbott) is happily married; a wonderful family life with a newborn baby. It's made clear in the opening frames that he has a desire to hurt and to kill. He loves his family too much to exploit them so plans a pretend business trip in which he actually is going to rent a hotel room and book a prostitute to murder. A lady of the night named Jackie (Mia Wasikowska) is hired and upon a dispute the two have, she locks herself in the bathroom. What follows on from there is better left unsaid to provide the best viewing experience as I only knew up until this point going in and it's one hell of a twisted ride. First thing to say the two leads are fantastic! Wasikowska is terrific; she's created such an interesting film career starting with Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland to more adult darker territory with works such as Park Chan-Wook's Stoker and Guillermo Del Toro's Crimson Peak. She portrays sexuality no matter how fetishistic with such dignity and delicacy that is really refreshing to see in modern cinema and she is a real talent; really fleshes out her characters. Abbott is also brilliant and portrays a man on the edge really well; confusion and morbid fascination all wrapped up in a neurotic package. It's a slow burning film and definately gets better on more watches; becoming even funnier once the intense first watch is complete and you know what is to happen. There is a certain drug influenced scene that genuinely made my skin crawl and is really creepy. The soundtrack is great and writer/Director Nicholas Pesce conjures a very taut atmosphere and adapts the material well from Ryu Murakami's novel of the same name. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea and I'm sure the ending will frustrate some; it's pretty abrupt and I wasn't sure about it upon first watch but it makes more sense on a second watch. Overall, it will divide opinion but I think it's pretty damn good and worth a watch for those intrigued by darker material
86 Reviews
Great style, precious little substance
Bertaut12 November 2018
From Nicolas Pesce, the writer and director of The Eyes of My Mother (2016), and based on the 1994 novel by Ryû Murakami (who also wrote the novel upon which the similarly themed Ôdishon (1999) was based), Piercing is a darkly comic psychosexual thriller. Partly a screwball comedy about a fastidious man's attempt to murder a prostitute, and his confusion and helplessness when he realises that that prostitute is far more disturbed than he is, the film dares the audience to attempt to figure out who is in charge at any given moment, and to ponder whether one (or both) of these characters would actually be quite happy to be the other's victim. Purposely made to look like a sleazy seventies skin flick, the film's sense of nostalgia drips off the screen, manifest in everything from the music borrowed from giallo films to the art-deco production design to the patently fake urban skyline to the lurid opening credits (complete with retro "Feature Presentation" card). In this sense, Pesce is a stylist, in the best sense of the term. However, at the moment, he's a stylist without much to say; as in The Eyes of My Mother, he is unable to match his not-inconsiderable aesthetic acumen with any kind of significant or tangible emotionality. The two leads are not necessarily the type of characters we're naturally predisposed to feel empathetic towards, but we surely must be expected to feel something. Anything. However, with no real sense of psychological verisimilitude nor much in the way of interiority, they remain essentially blank canvases, and primarily for this reason, the film feels more like a sketch than a finished product.
Set in a non-specific city, the barely-there plot concerns Reed (Christopher Abbott), who decides he is going to kill a prostitute in an attempt to purge himself of the thoughts he's been having about murdering his own baby. Planning every aspect of the murder, he rehearses everything from how long the chloroform will leave her unconscious to how best to carry her to the bathroom to begin the dismemberment, and records every detail in a small book. However, when the time comes to do the deed, things go down-hill fast, as Jackie (a superb turn from Mia Wasikowska) isn't entirely sane herself.
Partly a film about coming to terms with desires deemed fetishistic by society, and partly an erotic thriller about two people who seem genuinely confused as to whether they're teammates or opponents, the film's most salient theme is, perhaps, the issue of sexual consent, and how easily muddled it can become. It's a brave theme to take on in this post MeToo era, with the film daring to ask whether consent should still be applicable if a person has consented to something harmful to their person, even up to the point of consensual homicide. Although there's no cannibalism in the film, the storyline reminded me a little of the 2001 case of Armin Meiwes, who murdered and ate Bernd Jürgen Brandes with Brandes's complete consent. The film doesn't deal with the case explicitly, but the shifting sexual power-play between Reed and Jackie, and the fact that at least twice, one of them believes they've been granted permission to murder the other, raises similar moral issues.
Within the parameters of this theme, one of the most obvious aspects of the film is its sense of humour, with many of the laughs coming from how utterly anal Reed is. Half Patrick Bateman, half Frank Spencer, once an unpredictable human element is introduced into his scheme, he finds himself unable to think on-the-fly. As his meticulously laid plans go up in smoke, he proves comically inept at handling any kind of interpersonal relationship. However, the fact that most of the comedy lands on his shoulders throws into relief perhaps the film's most egregious problem; although a good 90% of the narrative is told from his perspective, there's precious little to his personality. Granted, a couple of final-act flashbacks fill us in on why he is so obsessed with murder, but his character simply isn't capable of filling out the film's 81 minutes. And there's less character detail on Jackie than there is on Reed. Despite this, Wasikowska gives a superb performance, all facial tics, unspoken volatility, and nervous mannerisms, with an almost balletic way of moving.
The problem for me is that nothing in the film really lingers - and when some of the imagery is this extreme, it should definitely linger. For example, I've never been able to completely forget my first viewing of Ôdishon - not because of the violence per se, but because the film spends so long building up the character of Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), so that when those needles and that wire saw come out, you absolutely feel the weight of what is about to happen. In Piercing, I don't really think there's any depravity that Reed and Jackie could have inflicted on one another that would have provoked an emotional response, because I didn't know them, and therefore was unable to care about them, as people.
Aesthetically, however, there's a great deal to praise here, with the sound design particularly inventive. During Reed's rehearsal of the murder, he goes through the entire act, from the initial drugging to the dismemberment. On screen, we see him pantomime the actions, but on the soundtrack, we hear the disturbing foley of everything - so as he's miming sawing, we hear a saw cut through flesh and bone. It's a brilliant way to place us firmly within his subjective experience, and it also serves to remind us that the innocent looking Reed is very much planning to do real harm to someone. On a similar note, the music is absolutely top notch. Eschewing an original score, the film instead employs pre-existing tracks primarily from giallo films, including Goblin's scores for Profondo rosso (1975) and Tenebre (1982), and Bruno Nicolai's score for La dama rossa uccide sette volte (1972).
The visual aesthetic is oftentimes as impressive as the aural. Exteriors (of which there are very few beyond the opening and closing credits) are obviously miniatures, with very little effort to make them look photorealistic. This sets an otherworldly tone right from the start, as if the film is taking place in a slightly alternate reality, as the real and the fake mix together in Reed's confused mind. Interiors are blank, as if they are show-houses, not actually inhabited by a flesh and blood person - one shot, for example, shows a drink's cabinet where the bottles have no brands, just the name of the alcohol. Again, this sets the film's reality apart, as if everything is happening just outside our own world, or our own conception of the world. There are also a couple of nods to the master of body horror, David Cronenberg - a stomach wound pulses and expands as if breathing, a gigantic beetle crawls out of a toilet and infects a character's face, scissor wounds are curiously fingered, a character's ear is split open with a tin opener. It's all very Disney!
Ultimately, however, Piercing is more interested in aesthetics than exploring the psychology of the characters. The increasingly extreme goings-on are never anything more than a jokey end unto themselves, with the psychological path that has led the characters to these extremities relatively ignored. With Pesce focused on comedy beats, there are certainly a few laughs, but there's precious little substance. He's undoubtedly adept at evoking the most absurdly grotesque comedy, but he is, thus far in his career, equally as uninterested in developing character or plot. And for that reason, the film comes across more like a calling-card than a self-sustained and complete product.
Set in a non-specific city, the barely-there plot concerns Reed (Christopher Abbott), who decides he is going to kill a prostitute in an attempt to purge himself of the thoughts he's been having about murdering his own baby. Planning every aspect of the murder, he rehearses everything from how long the chloroform will leave her unconscious to how best to carry her to the bathroom to begin the dismemberment, and records every detail in a small book. However, when the time comes to do the deed, things go down-hill fast, as Jackie (a superb turn from Mia Wasikowska) isn't entirely sane herself.
Partly a film about coming to terms with desires deemed fetishistic by society, and partly an erotic thriller about two people who seem genuinely confused as to whether they're teammates or opponents, the film's most salient theme is, perhaps, the issue of sexual consent, and how easily muddled it can become. It's a brave theme to take on in this post MeToo era, with the film daring to ask whether consent should still be applicable if a person has consented to something harmful to their person, even up to the point of consensual homicide. Although there's no cannibalism in the film, the storyline reminded me a little of the 2001 case of Armin Meiwes, who murdered and ate Bernd Jürgen Brandes with Brandes's complete consent. The film doesn't deal with the case explicitly, but the shifting sexual power-play between Reed and Jackie, and the fact that at least twice, one of them believes they've been granted permission to murder the other, raises similar moral issues.
Within the parameters of this theme, one of the most obvious aspects of the film is its sense of humour, with many of the laughs coming from how utterly anal Reed is. Half Patrick Bateman, half Frank Spencer, once an unpredictable human element is introduced into his scheme, he finds himself unable to think on-the-fly. As his meticulously laid plans go up in smoke, he proves comically inept at handling any kind of interpersonal relationship. However, the fact that most of the comedy lands on his shoulders throws into relief perhaps the film's most egregious problem; although a good 90% of the narrative is told from his perspective, there's precious little to his personality. Granted, a couple of final-act flashbacks fill us in on why he is so obsessed with murder, but his character simply isn't capable of filling out the film's 81 minutes. And there's less character detail on Jackie than there is on Reed. Despite this, Wasikowska gives a superb performance, all facial tics, unspoken volatility, and nervous mannerisms, with an almost balletic way of moving.
The problem for me is that nothing in the film really lingers - and when some of the imagery is this extreme, it should definitely linger. For example, I've never been able to completely forget my first viewing of Ôdishon - not because of the violence per se, but because the film spends so long building up the character of Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), so that when those needles and that wire saw come out, you absolutely feel the weight of what is about to happen. In Piercing, I don't really think there's any depravity that Reed and Jackie could have inflicted on one another that would have provoked an emotional response, because I didn't know them, and therefore was unable to care about them, as people.
Aesthetically, however, there's a great deal to praise here, with the sound design particularly inventive. During Reed's rehearsal of the murder, he goes through the entire act, from the initial drugging to the dismemberment. On screen, we see him pantomime the actions, but on the soundtrack, we hear the disturbing foley of everything - so as he's miming sawing, we hear a saw cut through flesh and bone. It's a brilliant way to place us firmly within his subjective experience, and it also serves to remind us that the innocent looking Reed is very much planning to do real harm to someone. On a similar note, the music is absolutely top notch. Eschewing an original score, the film instead employs pre-existing tracks primarily from giallo films, including Goblin's scores for Profondo rosso (1975) and Tenebre (1982), and Bruno Nicolai's score for La dama rossa uccide sette volte (1972).
The visual aesthetic is oftentimes as impressive as the aural. Exteriors (of which there are very few beyond the opening and closing credits) are obviously miniatures, with very little effort to make them look photorealistic. This sets an otherworldly tone right from the start, as if the film is taking place in a slightly alternate reality, as the real and the fake mix together in Reed's confused mind. Interiors are blank, as if they are show-houses, not actually inhabited by a flesh and blood person - one shot, for example, shows a drink's cabinet where the bottles have no brands, just the name of the alcohol. Again, this sets the film's reality apart, as if everything is happening just outside our own world, or our own conception of the world. There are also a couple of nods to the master of body horror, David Cronenberg - a stomach wound pulses and expands as if breathing, a gigantic beetle crawls out of a toilet and infects a character's face, scissor wounds are curiously fingered, a character's ear is split open with a tin opener. It's all very Disney!
Ultimately, however, Piercing is more interested in aesthetics than exploring the psychology of the characters. The increasingly extreme goings-on are never anything more than a jokey end unto themselves, with the psychological path that has led the characters to these extremities relatively ignored. With Pesce focused on comedy beats, there are certainly a few laughs, but there's precious little substance. He's undoubtedly adept at evoking the most absurdly grotesque comedy, but he is, thus far in his career, equally as uninterested in developing character or plot. And for that reason, the film comes across more like a calling-card than a self-sustained and complete product.
Subversion Done Well
truemythmedia14 November 2019
This is a pretty solid little thriller/horror flick. It has enough disturbing imagery and uncomfortable themes to keep even the most hardened of genre-fans entertained and captivated from start to finish. It boasts some solid performances and some inspired direction, and in the end, it provides a creepy enough atmosphere for me to recommend it to people I know are horror fans.
Senseless
slt-filho31 December 2018
It's half-way nostalgia style fetish, half-way sadomasochist play, and halfway thriller, where nothing works in full.
To be fair, the only fully developed thing is the lunacy the characters, which renders the movie pointless in a charicatural word where nothing needs to make any sense. No one to root for, nothing to expect but more lunacy. At some point all we hope is that he won't kill her, because that would mean we are left alone with the main character - a dorky, flavorless average Joe, wrapped in a velvet-coated mess.
Retro-styled horror-thriller, which will divide opinion
Red-Barracuda30 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This is an example of a recent type of movie typified by Amer (2009), The Strange Colour of your Body's Tears (2013) and The Love Witch (2016), which derives much of its aesthetic and aural influence from the Italian giallo films of the 70's. Being a confirmed sucker for this sub-genre, I pretty much immediately cut Piercing some slack more or less straight away. The soundtrack includes music from the likes of Goblin and Ennio Morricone, which adorned giallo classics from the past, while the look was reminiscent of this period too, with decidedly retro décor and devices, including a yellow (giallo) phone and record player. The 21st century doesn't encroach much in this movie. It has to be said that its chief strength is certainly in its look and sound, which also includes extensive use of Brian DePalma inspired split-screen too. The story itself additionally recalls elements of the Japanese horror Audition (1999). It is about a sociopathic man who stops short of murdering his baby daughter when he thinks he hears her talk to him, impelling him to murder a call girl. Consequently, he books a hotel room and hires a girl but the trouble is that she seems to be as deranged as he, leading the spider to become the fly.
Christopher Abbott and Mia Wasikowska star in this one, with very few other actors appearing. It is a very minimalistic affair story-wise, in what boils down to a cat-and-mouse narrative. Truthfully, the story is probably the weak point here, as it doesn't particularly go anywhere and could have done with a bit of extra development I reckon. There isn't quite enough meat to it to ensure it is entirely satisfying. Still, even though I have some reservations, I did enjoy this one nevertheless. I appreciated the giallo influence (even though it certainly is not a giallo itself) and did like the overall visual presentation. Some scenes were particularly well done, such as the bad trip sequence, and it does have a somewhat off-kilter feel to it in terms of atmosphere and performances throughout. One thing is for sure though, this one is going to be very divisive, as its flagrant disregard for narrative will put a few folks well off but if you don't mind that too much and have a love of the flamboyant style of the 70's Italian thrillers then this one should at least tick a few boxes for sure.
Christopher Abbott and Mia Wasikowska star in this one, with very few other actors appearing. It is a very minimalistic affair story-wise, in what boils down to a cat-and-mouse narrative. Truthfully, the story is probably the weak point here, as it doesn't particularly go anywhere and could have done with a bit of extra development I reckon. There isn't quite enough meat to it to ensure it is entirely satisfying. Still, even though I have some reservations, I did enjoy this one nevertheless. I appreciated the giallo influence (even though it certainly is not a giallo itself) and did like the overall visual presentation. Some scenes were particularly well done, such as the bad trip sequence, and it does have a somewhat off-kilter feel to it in terms of atmosphere and performances throughout. One thing is for sure though, this one is going to be very divisive, as its flagrant disregard for narrative will put a few folks well off but if you don't mind that too much and have a love of the flamboyant style of the 70's Italian thrillers then this one should at least tick a few boxes for sure.
Pointless
mjsreg31 January 2019
This certainly isn't horrific, and neither is it thrilling as billed.
It is a bland attempt to create some kind of arty suspense film that fails.
The 'story' (for what it is) is just a series of 'things' that happen that have no context or sense with no relation to each other apart from being in the same space.
Going by the end credits this film has a massive crew - for what I have no idea.
In the end, it became tedious and intensely boring to watch.
One to miss.
It is a bland attempt to create some kind of arty suspense film that fails.
The 'story' (for what it is) is just a series of 'things' that happen that have no context or sense with no relation to each other apart from being in the same space.
Going by the end credits this film has a massive crew - for what I have no idea.
In the end, it became tedious and intensely boring to watch.
One to miss.
A delightful horror
killercharm18 February 2020
Set in what appears to be a New York City that looks like Singapore, a new father and husband on an out of town trip orders up a hooker to come to his hotel room in order to kill her with an ice pick. It doesn't work as planned. This movie has strange and unexplained elements like why is he planning to do this? Why is there a little tiny monster in the bathroom. Why does he react to sleeping pills strangely. Why does the hooker live in a veritable tiny palace. It's still a delightful horror.
Style over substance
fentor-139-72953217 February 2019
I like the 70s style to the film and the send off of Hitchcock but not the substance of the plot and the failure to ultimately deliver, especially the ending... although there were things to be admired about this film
enjoyed it quirky little movie
natcalgary29 January 2019
Enjoyed it... just the right length ... this type of film always brings out negative commentors because it really isn't for everyone. If you like quirky, and you are not super conservative or squeaminsh then give it as shot.
6.4
6.4
I was shouting GET ON WITH IT
nemesis22227 January 2019
A very disappointing film........ Really didn't enjoy. I was looking forward to it from the trailer but just goes nowhere and makes very little sense...... Totally stupid actions and terrible characters go from one crap line to another.
And then has the nerve to leave the viewer totally unsatisfied with a lazy ending that.......really isn't an ending at all. Avoid.
Not a movie for the average viewer
bostockleigh-7591830 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Having read some of the negative reviews here I was driven to add my own. This is one of those movies that is easy to misread in it's intent. It's not meant to scare you, nor is it meant to horrify you. It's an exploration of the alternative mindset that many people out there have... the "wierd" people, people who enjoy hallucinogens, the people who can't exist in the day to day 9 to 5 routines, the people of the night. I'm one of them, and far from being a fantasy, this brought back memories of screwed up, trippy, extreme and highly entertaining long nights from a distant past. A decade or two ago, this would have been an average night out for me and the other "wierdos" I mingled with and sought to meet. I suspect that with time, this will become a bit of a cult movie and the current rating will climb as it reaches a more suitable audience. I thoroughly enjoyed it and my only complaint is that it ended far too soon.
Just to be clear on this: She certainly would not have killed him (she spent far too much effort on making her apartment look good to throw it all away on murder when guys actually pay her to cause them pain...), she would have just enjoyed teaching him a good lesson, perhaps skewering him in non-threatening but frightening places a few times and then she'd have sent him home. Who knows? He may even book her again....
Wasikowska and Abbott are on the same page in a Sleazy and Hypnotic Cinematic Creature
TwistedContent1 February 2021
I was very impressed by Nicolas Pesce's debut "The Eyes of My Mother", to me it was an inspirational movie, for it felt just like the kind of horror I love and respect the most, and wish to make one day. I missed "Piercing" when it came out, but not too long ago saw Pesce's "The Grudge" reboot, which sadly, wasn't too good, but it was real mean and tried to beat some clichés. As I'm on the task to see more movies starring the excellent Mia Wasikowska, I got to finally feel the rest of Pesce's current trinity, and I am reasonably satisfied.
Creed (Christopher Abbott), a family man, a troubled man, kisses his wife and daughter goodbye and seemingly heads away on business, but his true plan is known by nobody else, and that is to check into a hotel, call an escort service, order a prostitute, and killer her. With an ice pick. She arrives, the name is Jackie (Mia Wasikowska), and she turns out no less demented than Creed. Their inner demons will make the whole affair sleazy, violent, off-putting and contradictory.
I knew I'll like "Piercing" during the first minute, where only the titles dance, but they did so with an old-school aesthetic, both visually and audibly. Full disclosure, I have not read Ryu Murakami's novel, so I don't know the reality of the original story, but I absolutely love the sleazy 70's vibe that "Piercing" is clothed in. Nicolas Pesce has created a beautiful, shadowy, sort of pseudo-modern looking little world, in which Creed and Jackie love, hate, and don't know each other. I hear the viewers who call out the pointlessness of it all, and I agree it is, though it doesn't have much weight on my rating. Besides the awesome production design, great and minimalistic-effectively used FX, and absolutely cool-as-hell soundtrack (with borrowings from "Deep Red" and "Tenebrae"), the force that drives "Piercing" are the interactions between two reasonably demented personalities. Personalities who are given just the right ambiguous treatment by Christopher Abbott and Mia Wasikowska. Couple years ago I didn't really know Christopher Abbott, but by now I've seen the man has many good, offbeat indies under his belt. He's good.
Pesce has crafted "Piercing" meticulously, setting out to hypnotize the viewer, so he doesn't know where exactly is he led to. Pacing's not always consistent or up-going, and the movie tends to lose itself someplace in the constant brushes between Jackie and Reed, more so around the middle parts of "Piercing". I both love and dislike how the film ends, pointlessly and unexpectedly, but at the same time it nicely loops it all together, sort of. Ultimately, does "Piercing" lack substance? It does, the psychological terror is always masterfully manifested, but not always we know or understand what were the things that put these characters into the state they are in.
A sleazy throwback erotic thriller mixed with a dark comedy about an unsure man catching a fish too big, thrown in the blender of modern arthouse horror. And a pinch of Cronenberg-esque body horror. Feel like signing up? My rating: 7/10.
Creed (Christopher Abbott), a family man, a troubled man, kisses his wife and daughter goodbye and seemingly heads away on business, but his true plan is known by nobody else, and that is to check into a hotel, call an escort service, order a prostitute, and killer her. With an ice pick. She arrives, the name is Jackie (Mia Wasikowska), and she turns out no less demented than Creed. Their inner demons will make the whole affair sleazy, violent, off-putting and contradictory.
I knew I'll like "Piercing" during the first minute, where only the titles dance, but they did so with an old-school aesthetic, both visually and audibly. Full disclosure, I have not read Ryu Murakami's novel, so I don't know the reality of the original story, but I absolutely love the sleazy 70's vibe that "Piercing" is clothed in. Nicolas Pesce has created a beautiful, shadowy, sort of pseudo-modern looking little world, in which Creed and Jackie love, hate, and don't know each other. I hear the viewers who call out the pointlessness of it all, and I agree it is, though it doesn't have much weight on my rating. Besides the awesome production design, great and minimalistic-effectively used FX, and absolutely cool-as-hell soundtrack (with borrowings from "Deep Red" and "Tenebrae"), the force that drives "Piercing" are the interactions between two reasonably demented personalities. Personalities who are given just the right ambiguous treatment by Christopher Abbott and Mia Wasikowska. Couple years ago I didn't really know Christopher Abbott, but by now I've seen the man has many good, offbeat indies under his belt. He's good.
Pesce has crafted "Piercing" meticulously, setting out to hypnotize the viewer, so he doesn't know where exactly is he led to. Pacing's not always consistent or up-going, and the movie tends to lose itself someplace in the constant brushes between Jackie and Reed, more so around the middle parts of "Piercing". I both love and dislike how the film ends, pointlessly and unexpectedly, but at the same time it nicely loops it all together, sort of. Ultimately, does "Piercing" lack substance? It does, the psychological terror is always masterfully manifested, but not always we know or understand what were the things that put these characters into the state they are in.
A sleazy throwback erotic thriller mixed with a dark comedy about an unsure man catching a fish too big, thrown in the blender of modern arthouse horror. And a pinch of Cronenberg-esque body horror. Feel like signing up? My rating: 7/10.
Didn't work for me. At all.
manuelasaez21 January 2019
The novel by Ryu Murakami was billed as being a shocking work of horror, reminiscent of his horror masterpiece, Audition. I thought that by watching the film, I would get an idea of what the story in the book might entail. This movie, however, was not scary and it was not anywhere near the brilliance of Audition. It was a stylish modernized neo-noir thriller, disguised as a character study, disguised as a horror movie. This movie has no solid identity, and to call it a straight horror film would be incorrect, just like calling it a thriller would also be. What it is is a movie that tries to do many things, but the only thing it succeeds in being is being pretty. Personified, this movie is like a runway model who has no other talents. Very nice to look at...but that's it.
We have the lead, who is as unlikable a character as you can get. We barely have to time to get to know him, and I immediately disliked everything about him. He's mousy, frail and weak; everything a leading man shouldn't be. He has a dangerous fetish, and is trying to go through with it by using a call girl.
The call girl is as crazy as you expect, but she is also unlikable. She is also mousy and frail, looking as if she would tip over if you breathed on her. She has no redeemable qualities, and makes you not really care about her disposition.
Side characters are not given enough screen time to matter, and flashbacks don't have the impact they would have if you cared about anyone in the movie. I would liken watching this movie like sitting through a home movie of a group of people I disliked. I struggled to care, I was a bit shocked at what was going on, but in the end I was left with a resounding, "That's it? MEH!", which a movie should NEVER do.
The Japanese language has many nuances that don't really translate well to English. This is probably why there hasn't been a truly exceptional American film that was made from a work of Japanese literature. I am going to read the novel to see how it holds up to the film, and I really hope that it is nothing like this movie.
I was looking forward to the follow up of one of my favorite horror movies, "The Eyes of My Mother'. I could not be more disappointed.
What a shame.
We have the lead, who is as unlikable a character as you can get. We barely have to time to get to know him, and I immediately disliked everything about him. He's mousy, frail and weak; everything a leading man shouldn't be. He has a dangerous fetish, and is trying to go through with it by using a call girl.
The call girl is as crazy as you expect, but she is also unlikable. She is also mousy and frail, looking as if she would tip over if you breathed on her. She has no redeemable qualities, and makes you not really care about her disposition.
Side characters are not given enough screen time to matter, and flashbacks don't have the impact they would have if you cared about anyone in the movie. I would liken watching this movie like sitting through a home movie of a group of people I disliked. I struggled to care, I was a bit shocked at what was going on, but in the end I was left with a resounding, "That's it? MEH!", which a movie should NEVER do.
The Japanese language has many nuances that don't really translate well to English. This is probably why there hasn't been a truly exceptional American film that was made from a work of Japanese literature. I am going to read the novel to see how it holds up to the film, and I really hope that it is nothing like this movie.
I was looking forward to the follow up of one of my favorite horror movies, "The Eyes of My Mother'. I could not be more disappointed.
What a shame.
At the end you wonder "Why was this movie even made?"
TxMike1 June 2019
I watched this at home on DVD in spite of its low IMDb rating. After watching it I think it is rated a bit too high.
We get no real idea where all this takes place, but as Christopher Abbott as "Reed" begins preparing for a trip, ice pick in hand, we see the lips of his baby daughter move and some deep voice comes out. At other times different things happen that leads us to believe he is schizophrenic.
Be that as it may when he gets to a hotel he arranges for a prostitute. In some brief flashbacks we sense that his mother had been a prostitute and maybe that messed up his mind. Regardless he gets Mia Wasikowska (almost 30) as "Jackie".
It is clear that he intends to kill her with an ice pick, he even rehearses it in his room. It has a sense of absurdity about it more than terror. And as we might guess Jackie has some tricks up her sleeve also.
Fortunately the movie is short, just over an hour. To me it really is a mess, it just makes little sense and at the end I found myself wondering "Why was this movie even made?"
We get no real idea where all this takes place, but as Christopher Abbott as "Reed" begins preparing for a trip, ice pick in hand, we see the lips of his baby daughter move and some deep voice comes out. At other times different things happen that leads us to believe he is schizophrenic.
Be that as it may when he gets to a hotel he arranges for a prostitute. In some brief flashbacks we sense that his mother had been a prostitute and maybe that messed up his mind. Regardless he gets Mia Wasikowska (almost 30) as "Jackie".
It is clear that he intends to kill her with an ice pick, he even rehearses it in his room. It has a sense of absurdity about it more than terror. And as we might guess Jackie has some tricks up her sleeve also.
Fortunately the movie is short, just over an hour. To me it really is a mess, it just makes little sense and at the end I found myself wondering "Why was this movie even made?"
The premise was interesting......
NarryBorman25 May 2019
I'd put this film in the "I'll try it out, based on the blurb" category.
Given my expectations, I'd say the film starts interestingly enough.
However, the lack of plot become apparent after half an hour, and the film descends into a poor "50 Shades" clone.
The ending is poor.
Can't recommend this film.
Given my expectations, I'd say the film starts interestingly enough.
However, the lack of plot become apparent after half an hour, and the film descends into a poor "50 Shades" clone.
The ending is poor.
Can't recommend this film.
Different far out and strange film of devious and erotic thoughts.
blanbrn14 March 2019
"Piercing" is one of those movies as you watch you just follow along with the clever game of cat and mouse as it proves it's a crazy world with people as no one never really knows the clever cat and mouse games that some play. Reed(Chris Abbott) goes on a trip to a hotel room with a plan for murder, he's also hired an escort call girl named Jackie(Mia Wasikowska). However upon meeting one another things change and the balance and power of the game changes. Overall well done film of control and power, and arriving at your most brutal nightmare like thoughts. And it's just an okay film even though it's not everyone's cup of tea.
A nightmare
PedroPires908 February 2021
Some people have the audacity to talk about giallo or Brian de Palma referring to this.
This is not violent, shocking, or different. That is what Takashi Miike or Sion Sono do and very well. This is pure garbage. An authentic sh**.
The only positive thing here was Mia Wasikowska's performance. Really the only.
This is not violent, shocking, or different. That is what Takashi Miike or Sion Sono do and very well. This is pure garbage. An authentic sh**.
The only positive thing here was Mia Wasikowska's performance. Really the only.
A bizarre film that I'm not sure I entirely understood - and yet still managed to enjoy
jtindahouse17 January 2019
Back in 2016 I called Nicolas Pesce's debut film 'The Eyes of My Mother' a horror masterpiece. It blew me away and I have been excited for his follow-up film ever since. 'Piercing' is quite a similar film in a lot of ways, but it couldn't quite live up to his previous film.
This is a bizarre and baffling film at times. I'm not sure I entirely understood it, but I'm also not sure whether I was supposed to understand it. On the surface the film sets up a very simple concept, but in reality it all becomes very complex and hard to follow. Usually being hard to understand is the death of a film and yet it wasn't on this occasion. I was still able to have a great time with it.
Somehow the film manages to be incredibly soothing and almost peaceful to watch. A combination of great dialogue, background music and acting make it this way. This is a very well put together film. It is listed as a horror film on IMDb currently but I would advise that it really isn't. At least not for the large majority of the runtime. This may not be a film for everyone, but I managed to throughly enjoy myself and I think most that watch it will be able to get at least something out of it.
This is a bizarre and baffling film at times. I'm not sure I entirely understood it, but I'm also not sure whether I was supposed to understand it. On the surface the film sets up a very simple concept, but in reality it all becomes very complex and hard to follow. Usually being hard to understand is the death of a film and yet it wasn't on this occasion. I was still able to have a great time with it.
Somehow the film manages to be incredibly soothing and almost peaceful to watch. A combination of great dialogue, background music and acting make it this way. This is a very well put together film. It is listed as a horror film on IMDb currently but I would advise that it really isn't. At least not for the large majority of the runtime. This may not be a film for everyone, but I managed to throughly enjoy myself and I think most that watch it will be able to get at least something out of it.
What a waste of time
mim-436-70215927 February 2019
There is kind of a plot that this family man has a wish to go and kill a prostitute. He has a plan where his wife think he is going on a business trip but really he is going to pursue this killing.
As soon as the prostitute arrives at the hotel, the movie takes a turn from "normal" to "psychotic". The remaining 1 hour makes NO sense at all. Stuff happens, but without any point.
Why this movie was even produced is beyond my comprehension.
Plan A
kosmasp4 March 2019
You can try and plan something to the last detail - chances are that something will happen and your plan will not go over as smoothly as you think. Actually it is more likely that it goes wrong at some point. Because while you can plan more or less for yourself, you can never plan on others and their behavior.
That may all sound abstract and if like myself you haven't seen the trailer for this, you may not quite understand where I'm going with this. But the movie itself is not to complex to follow. The setting is pretty simple, the twists are nice though, although most will as I stated above, expect this to not go as planned. A decent little thriller, going the weird and a bit extreme route ...
That may all sound abstract and if like myself you haven't seen the trailer for this, you may not quite understand where I'm going with this. But the movie itself is not to complex to follow. The setting is pretty simple, the twists are nice though, although most will as I stated above, expect this to not go as planned. A decent little thriller, going the weird and a bit extreme route ...
Terrifying
coronitasc4 February 2019
Crazier than you
kluseba9 October 2020
Piercing is an experimental thriller based upon Ryû Murakami's novel of the same name. The same author also wrote Audition which was made into a successful, memorable but controversial movie by veteran director Takashi Miike. Piercing has many similarities to Audition but doesn't manage to be as hypnotizing, profound and shocking. Nevertheless, this movie is unique and entertaining but will be controversially received as well.
Piercing revolves around married family father Reed who is obsessed with ice picks. He goes as far as phantasizing about murdering his baby with that weapon. In order to prevent that from happening, the nervous, meticulous and organized psychopath plans on murdering a prostitute in a hotel room. Her name is Jackie, she lives alone and gets insulted by her employer. When Reed is about to murder Jackie, things suddenly spiral out of control and a deadly cat-and-mouse game ensues.
This film convinces on several levels. The art decor designs add a beautiful artistic touch. The limited and spartanic settings blend in very well. The soundtrack recalls giallo movies from the seventies and oozes with atmosphere. The acting performances by Christopher Abbott and especially by Mia Wasikowska are stellar as they become one with their roles. The story is completely unpredictable and unconventional as it comes around with twisted surprises and mild shocks. The ending leaves certain questions unanswered and offers room for discussions and debates.
In the end, Piercing isn't as great as Audition but certainly a creative psychological thriller with intriguing characters. Director Nicolas Pesce managed to add his own ideas and style fluidly. The movie oozes with atmosphere and includes quite a few details despite its slow pace. It offers food for thought and room for debates. The thin line between reality and imagination might at times be blurred and invites for multiple viewings. If you expect a traditional murder-mystery film with a Hollywood ending, then this movie certainly isn't for you.
Piercing revolves around married family father Reed who is obsessed with ice picks. He goes as far as phantasizing about murdering his baby with that weapon. In order to prevent that from happening, the nervous, meticulous and organized psychopath plans on murdering a prostitute in a hotel room. Her name is Jackie, she lives alone and gets insulted by her employer. When Reed is about to murder Jackie, things suddenly spiral out of control and a deadly cat-and-mouse game ensues.
This film convinces on several levels. The art decor designs add a beautiful artistic touch. The limited and spartanic settings blend in very well. The soundtrack recalls giallo movies from the seventies and oozes with atmosphere. The acting performances by Christopher Abbott and especially by Mia Wasikowska are stellar as they become one with their roles. The story is completely unpredictable and unconventional as it comes around with twisted surprises and mild shocks. The ending leaves certain questions unanswered and offers room for discussions and debates.
In the end, Piercing isn't as great as Audition but certainly a creative psychological thriller with intriguing characters. Director Nicolas Pesce managed to add his own ideas and style fluidly. The movie oozes with atmosphere and includes quite a few details despite its slow pace. It offers food for thought and room for debates. The thin line between reality and imagination might at times be blurred and invites for multiple viewings. If you expect a traditional murder-mystery film with a Hollywood ending, then this movie certainly isn't for you.
Another Stylistic and Sadistic Film From Nicolas Pesce
eric2620033 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Back in 2016, writer/director Nicolas Pesce directed the very crafty and very bloody movie "The Eyes of My Mother" which showcased the director's tendency of creating a stylistic atmosphere that's very stylistic to the 1970's noir films combined with scenes that are saturated with violence. Instead of trying different and innovative styles of direction, Pesce just rehashes the blood and carnage with the 2018 movie "Piercing" which was based off of a 2008 novel by Ryu Murakami. Once again, Pesce doesn't offer any mercy to those who are weak at heart as we have characters enduring vast amounts of torment from the characters as they exhibit how pain is their pleasure in both giving it and receiving it. The technical features in "Piercing" is highly impressive, but the atmosphere tends to outweigh the actual plot and it feels like Pesce is more obsessed creating elements from Murakami's book which is about glittering surfaces than a diabolical drama.
Reed (Christopher Abbott) is a loyal family man to his wife Mona (Laia Costa) and their newborn baby daughter. Reed has a dying passion to murder his infant daughter but needs the confidence by methodically killing a prostitute, which includes inviting her into his hotel while practicing the art of S&M before and then the he'll go for the kill. Reed seems to be aware of his deed as he makes sure his fingerprints aren't noticed and keeping his evidence clean. However things don't go as planned when his escort is on a late arrival and Reed has to settle with another prostitute named Jackie (Mia Wasikowska). While still going by his deviant plan, we discover the Jackie is equally sadistic as he's unintentionally lured into an evening of submissiveness and torture as they both seem to like taking it as much as they like giving it.
Pesce seems to have a liking for the Italian cinema of noir films from the 1970's and the 1980's especially from the likes of Dario Argento. combined with unorthodox stylistics and the surreal surrounding that's displayed where the characters reside (the big city landscapes is created via miniatures). With it archaic style of entertainment and Grindhouse-like quality, Pesce offers a myriad of celluloid delight knowing that most of the settings in this movie is situated with only two rooms and only two characters. It seems Pesce is quite pleased with his creative craftsmanship while making every detail as grotesque and disgusting as possible. And sure this film is a sight for sore eyes and sick stomach, it might be something worth viewing, but the attention is not only focused on that.
"Piercing" shows no apologies for its dark atmosphere. The opening scenes shows Reed as he carefully attempts at murdering his infant daughter by pointing an ice pick at her as he prepares his upcoming endeavour as a killer destined to takes down members of his family. Sure the scene is macabre to look at, but it is the right catalyst for the dark journey ahead. Reed is a sick twisted individual, but his obsession for the kill makes his motives and character show he's very unsettled in his disposition. While practicing his murderous plans, Pesce let in on the sound effects with horror backgrounds as Reed awaits his potential victim. Reed doesn't know that Jackie herself is facing issues of her own, but is still willing to go along with the torturous fantasies her client desires while showing she has an unhealthy desire for self-mutilation as it usurps Reed''s twisted desires.
And sure the endless game of cat and mouse can get on people's nerves there is some domestic intentions from both Reed and Jackie with the prostitute who has succeeded in making the predator become her prey. The main weakness in "Piercing" is that Pesce has trouble filling in the 80 minutes that this film runs. The filler consists of hallucinatory tangents that can be quite repetitive. The ending becomes anti-climactic in spite of the eye-opening scene. The through all the repetitive scenarios, the movie itself is rendered as a character study that's worthy to look into as Pesce ensures the derangement is downplayed.
Reed (Christopher Abbott) is a loyal family man to his wife Mona (Laia Costa) and their newborn baby daughter. Reed has a dying passion to murder his infant daughter but needs the confidence by methodically killing a prostitute, which includes inviting her into his hotel while practicing the art of S&M before and then the he'll go for the kill. Reed seems to be aware of his deed as he makes sure his fingerprints aren't noticed and keeping his evidence clean. However things don't go as planned when his escort is on a late arrival and Reed has to settle with another prostitute named Jackie (Mia Wasikowska). While still going by his deviant plan, we discover the Jackie is equally sadistic as he's unintentionally lured into an evening of submissiveness and torture as they both seem to like taking it as much as they like giving it.
Pesce seems to have a liking for the Italian cinema of noir films from the 1970's and the 1980's especially from the likes of Dario Argento. combined with unorthodox stylistics and the surreal surrounding that's displayed where the characters reside (the big city landscapes is created via miniatures). With it archaic style of entertainment and Grindhouse-like quality, Pesce offers a myriad of celluloid delight knowing that most of the settings in this movie is situated with only two rooms and only two characters. It seems Pesce is quite pleased with his creative craftsmanship while making every detail as grotesque and disgusting as possible. And sure this film is a sight for sore eyes and sick stomach, it might be something worth viewing, but the attention is not only focused on that.
"Piercing" shows no apologies for its dark atmosphere. The opening scenes shows Reed as he carefully attempts at murdering his infant daughter by pointing an ice pick at her as he prepares his upcoming endeavour as a killer destined to takes down members of his family. Sure the scene is macabre to look at, but it is the right catalyst for the dark journey ahead. Reed is a sick twisted individual, but his obsession for the kill makes his motives and character show he's very unsettled in his disposition. While practicing his murderous plans, Pesce let in on the sound effects with horror backgrounds as Reed awaits his potential victim. Reed doesn't know that Jackie herself is facing issues of her own, but is still willing to go along with the torturous fantasies her client desires while showing she has an unhealthy desire for self-mutilation as it usurps Reed''s twisted desires.
And sure the endless game of cat and mouse can get on people's nerves there is some domestic intentions from both Reed and Jackie with the prostitute who has succeeded in making the predator become her prey. The main weakness in "Piercing" is that Pesce has trouble filling in the 80 minutes that this film runs. The filler consists of hallucinatory tangents that can be quite repetitive. The ending becomes anti-climactic in spite of the eye-opening scene. The through all the repetitive scenarios, the movie itself is rendered as a character study that's worthy to look into as Pesce ensures the derangement is downplayed.
Really wanted to like this one..
jorgefromhell21 January 2019
I had high hopes for this one, I really enjoyed The Eyes of My Mother, but this one was just awful. By the end of it, I was hoping for some kind of closure to their story, hell, anything would be better than that crappy ending.
Nicolas Pesce, if you ever read this, you had something good going on with The Eyes of My Mother, but you just lost a fan with this one.
Terrible film...
aburgan17 March 2019
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