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Parents' Guide to

The Wolf Hour

By Danny Brogan, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Claustrophobic thriller goes nowhere despite sense of peril.

Movie R 2019 99 minutes
The Wolf Hour Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 18+

Based on 4 parent reviews

age 18+
age 18+

Powerful

Riveting, powerful film and performance from Naomi Watts

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (4 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This disappointing psychological thriller fails to deliver on its initial promise. The Wolf Hour has all the attributes of a tense thriller. It's set during the 1977 blackouts in New York, when the city is in the midst of a severe heat wave and the infamous serial killer "Son of Sam" has everyone on edge. The reclusive June -- a barely recognizable Watts -- is tormented by agoraphobia, unable to leave the filthy apartment she resides in. Each time June's door buzzer sounds, it comes with a sense of dread. Might it be the killer, or some other realization of her paranoia?

Unfortunately, as the movie dithers along, so does any interest. It's akin to a rollercoaster's tension-building rise to the top without the heart-racing descent. The movie's themes include mental health, race, guilt, and sex. But rather than exploring them, it simply gives them broad brushstrokes. And that is at the heart of what's wrong with the movie: There are plenty of setups, but no reward.

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