Leave the World Behind

R

Released Nov 22, 2023

2h 20m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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for

List

73%

Tomatometer

161 Reviews

36%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In this apocalyptic thriller from award-winning writer and director Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot), Amanda (Academy Award winner Julia Roberts) and her husband Clay (Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke), rent a luxurious home for the weekend with their kids, Archie (Charlie Evans) and Rose (Farrah Mackenzie). Their vacation is soon upended when two strangers -- G.H. (Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha'la) -- arrive in the night, bearing news of a mysterious cyberattack and seeking refuge in the house they claim is theirs. The two families reckon with a looming disaster that grows more terrifying by the minute, forcing everyone to come to terms with their places in a collapsing world.

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Critics Consensus

An exceptionally well-acted apocalyptic thriller, Leave the World Behind steadily draws the viewer in despite its leisurely pace and somewhat simplistic messaging.

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Audience Says

After a pretty strong start, Leave the World Behind loses its way, fumbling an interesting premise with unlikable characters, unbelievable dialogue, and a disappointing ending.

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Lillian Crawford

Empire Magazine

The tension is breathless and well-constructed, but since they begin with the dial at eleven, there is nowhere to go throughout the film’s exhausting 140 minutes.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 15, 2024

Full Review

Rafer Guzman

Newsday

The end of the world is always a valuable thought experiment; it makes us start asking important questions. Alam’s book wondered: “What if?” But Esmail’s movie mostly wants to know: “How come?”

Rated: 2/4

Dec 20, 2023

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Wenlei Ma

PerthNow

We’re not in control, but Sam Esmail is of his startling, character-driven doomsday story about what happens when there’s the very real possibility everything is about to end.

Rated: 3.5/5

Dec 19, 2023

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Nelson Acosta

Koimoi

In these times when people see more differences than similarities, it feels important to remember that even when you probably don’t like most people you meet, we are the only thing we have for each other.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 3, 2024

Full Review

William Schwartz

Book & Film Globe

a devious film in that it’s just barely mysterious and intriguing enough that you want some kind of explanation, no matter how obvious it becomes that the explanation is going to be incredibly stupid.

May 4, 2024

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Armond White

National Review

The most insolent executive-office musing ever committed to film -- a full-out assault on the nation’s people.

Apr 12, 2024

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Steven

Really tense and thought provoking movie that is also a lot of fun, like early Spielberg.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/27/23

Full Review

Remzy

The last scene made me smile.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/25/23

Full Review

Robyn K

Film was well made and the acting was terrific. The subject matter, however, was quite perturbing...as it is so close to what we're potentially really facing. People, wake up and smell the coffee...

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/23/23

Full Review

Georgerotten A

DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE! (I warned you, don't say that I didn't). I put my trust on the cast and the Obamas being in the production team together with Netflix. No, this was stupid, it was one of the movies that has no resolution. This is not cinema. It is not art. I have a feeling the director run out of money and decided to end the movie abruptly, so that he could claim that "he gave the viewers the chance to appreciate the feelings stirred by the movie and not the storyline". He is actually having a laugh at us for being the sheep paying the tickets or subscription to watch this "no-more-than-a piece-of-junk" movie that ends and you have no idea what happened or why, who survived, who died, what were the reasons behind this, what was the point of the whole movie. If there was a 1/1000 star or zero stars, I would have given it that!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/17/24

Full Review

Megan Y

Disappointing waste of two hours. It's a movie that turns out to be about nothing. Spoiler alert the young girl DOES get to watch the last episode of FRIENDS

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/16/24

Full Review

Daniel B

The acting was good but too simplistic and long

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/14/24

Full Review

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Sam Esmail

Director

Julia Roberts

Amanda Sandford

Mahershala Ali

G. H. Scott

Ethan Hawke

Clay Sandford

Myha'la Herrold

Ruth Scott

Kevin Bacon

Danny

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Leave the World Behind: First Look

2:10

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Leave the World Behind: Final Trailer

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Leave the World Behind: Trailer 1

2:08

Leave the World Behind: Teaser Trailer

1:29

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Synopsis

In this apocalyptic thriller from award-winning writer and director Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot), Amanda (Academy Award winner Julia Roberts) and her husband Clay (Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke), rent a luxurious home for the weekend with their kids, Archie (Charlie Evans) and Rose (Farrah Mackenzie). Their vacation is soon upended when two strangers -- G.H. (Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha'la) -- arrive in the night, bearing news of a mysterious cyberattack and seeking refuge in the house they claim is theirs. The two families reckon with a looming disaster that grows more terrifying by the minute, forcing everyone to come to terms with their places in a collapsing world.

Director: Sam Esmail
Producer: Sam Esmail, Marisa Yeres Gill, Lisa Roberts Gillan, Chad Hamilton, Julia Roberts
Screenwriter: Sam Esmail
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Red Om Films, Esmail Corp., Netflix Studios, Higher Ground Productions
Rating: R (Language|Drug Use|Brief Bloody Images|Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 22, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 8, 2023
Runtime: 2h 20m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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