Borgman 2013

Critics score:
86 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly: It's the hypnotic little thriller's disturbing twists that make it such a singular -- and singularly weird -- experience. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: A sickening horror parable disguised as a comedy of mores, the Netherlands' "Borgman" is a rarity: a genuinely shocking, upsetting movie. Read more

Guy Lodge, Variety: A sly, insidious and intermittently hilarious domestic thriller that is likely to remain one of the most daring selections of this year's Cannes competish. Read more

Mike D'Angelo, AV Club: With so many outre elements and so few concrete answers, Borgman certainly has the makings of a cult film, which seems very much by design. Too much by design, arguably ... Read more

Mark Feeney, Boston Globe: What Marina sees in Borgman is one of the countless implausibilities that make the film more annoying than disturbing. Read more

Jordan Hoffman, Film.com: Provides a wonderful sense of unease as to who deserves our sympathy. Read more

David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter: While the film ultimately is not as satisfying as it promises to be for much of the duration, it remains bracingly creepy and off-kilter. Read more

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: Though it's too enigmatic for its own good and often feels like it's being made up as it goes, the Dutch import "Borgman" holds interest if only to see what might possibly happen next. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: The story's magic is black, its perfidy driven by evil spirits. Read more

Tirdad Derakhshani, Philadelphia Inquirer: Filled with surreal touches and shocking scenes of black humor, Borgman steams ahead with the power and inevitability of a nightmare. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: [An] exceptionally disturbing film ... Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: "Borgman" might sound compelling in the abstract. But if you want to enjoy it and stay engaged by it for more than 10 minutes, you'll have to talk yourself into it. Read more

Erik McClanahan, Minneapolis Star Tribune: For those who get on its wavelength, the rewards are ample and the desire to re-watch will take over. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: The black humour and perversity can occasionally startle, but the film takes far too much sadistic delight in punishing these entitled dopes. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: A creepily comical story about an insistent vagrant turned insidious home occupier. Read more

Sasha Stone, TheWrap: In an era where there are very few truly surprising films, Borgman is one of the rare movies that manages to find something entirely new to say, with original, oddly drawn characters. Read more

Dave Calhoun, Time Out: A loopy, lopsided experiment Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Village Voice: The picture is fascinating for the way it introduces the kernel of an idea and then builds on it slowly, sustaining suspense rather than just leading the audience right up to the "OK, I get it" moment and running out of steam. Read more

Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine/Vulture: You may find yourself chuckling at Borgman as much as you recoil at it. It's destined for cult status. Read more