Rosebush Pruning
The brief
Karim Aïnouz trades his Brazilian roots for gothic family dysfunction, and the result feels like *The Royal Tenenbaums* if Wes Anderson had a severe depression episode. The gorgeous Spanish villa becomes a gilded cage where Callum Turner and Riley Keough deliver slow-burn performances that simmer with inherited trauma and sibling resentment. Aïnouz lets scenes breathe almost uncomfortably long, creating this suffocating atmosphere where every family dinner feels like a potential crime scene. Perfect for fans of *I Am Love* or anyone who enjoys watching beautiful people destroy each other in beautiful locations.
The verdict
If you have patience for slow-burn family dramas and love watching gorgeous cinematography paired with psychological tension, this delivers the kind of suffocating atmosphere that makes every moment feel loaded with danger. If you need faster pacing or prefer your family dysfunction with more humor than dread, the deliberately uncomfortable long takes and heavy mood will likely test your endurance.
Watch with
- 👤 Perfect for art house film lovers who appreciate slow burn character studies
- ⚠️ Skip if you need fast-paced entertainment or dislike family drama
Heads up
- Family dysfunction and emotional manipulation (frequent)
- Discussion of parental death and family secrets (moderate)
- Psychological tension and sibling conflict (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Karim Aïnouz
- Cast
- Callum Turner, Riley Keough, Jamie Bell, Lukas Gage, Elena Anaya, Tracy Letts, Elle Fanning
Official synopsis
In a Spanish villa, American siblings Jack, Ed, Anna and Robert wallow in isolation and their inherited fortune.
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with The Master (2012)
Both explore fractured family dynamics and inherited psychological trauma.
Total runtime: 1h 37m + 2h 17m = 3h 54m
