Drama · Mystery · Thriller
American
2004 · Directed by M. Night Shyamalan · 108 min
In an isolated Pennsylvania village at the end of the 19th century, the residents live by strict rules and never enter the woods that surround them. When a restless young man begins to question those boundaries, the community's fragile calm is tested. A slow, formal, carefully composed suspense drama.
Why it matters in cinema history
A defining film of Shyamalan's early-2000s run of high-profile studio mysteries, and a distinctive blend of period design, chamber drama and suspense in mainstream American cinema.
Watch with intention
Watch it as a study of a closed community: its rules, its rituals and the way people speak to one another.
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