Beautiful Beings

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1:54

Beautiful Beings

2023

2h 3m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

23 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Addi, a boy raised by a clairvoyant mother, decides to adopt a bullied misfit into his gang of outsiders. Left to their own devices, the boys explore aggression and violence but also learn about loyalty and love. As the group's behavior escalates towards life-threatening situations, Addi begins to experience a series of dreamlike visions. Can his newfound intuition guide him and his friends back to a safer path, or will they dive irrevocably into further violence?

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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

Jan 19, 2023

The pacing is sometimes shaggy, and the boys’ motivations are occasionally mysterious, but Guðmundsson’s young actors are magnetic in a physical, haunted way...

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Marya E. Gates

RogerEbert.com

Jan 13, 2023

2/4

For much of the film, Guðmundsson draws on the long tradition of angry young man films, without adding much by way of originality or insight that hasn’t already been said.

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Manohla Dargis

New York Times

Jan 12, 2023

It’s a sad, familiar story of boys being socially constructed, hyper-masculinized, aggressively nasty little jerks, one largely distinguished by the palpable tenderness that the writer-director Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson brings to its telling.

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Dave Golder

Radio Times

Oct 13, 2026

4/5

The all-pervasive filth, decay and sordidness can leave you cringing at times but this is offset by strong, likeable performances from the kids and some gorgeous cinematography.

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Tina Kakadelis

Beyond the Cinerama Dome

Jul 24, 2023

Despite its anger, Beautiful Beings remains deeply hopeful. The kids aren’t alright, but they were never given the space to be alright.

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Soham Gadre

Film Inquiry

May 6, 2023

While Beautiful Beings is well-intentioned and certainly emotionally resonant in parts, it stops short of having a lasting emotional effect. Its central characters are difficult but not complex.

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Jim P

@RT08384096 May 28, 2024

Fabulous. Great acting and a well-made movie about today’s teenage troubles.

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Jackie H

@RT23944977 Feb 19, 2024

Heartbreaking but beautiful film. The actors were amazing. Captures the reality of many kids growing up in poverty.. The friendships were so powerful. Although the kids could be ruthless at times, they seemed to still follow a moral compass. Sticking up for those that had been abused and the weak. I really enjoyed it, brought me to tears. This movie has tons of trigger warnings so just be aware. I thought it was captivating though! 10 out of 10.

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Krissy L

@RT20037676 Apr 30, 2023

Real storyline about growing up as teens, peer pressure and not living the perfect fairytale life and how they find their way. Very moving. Beautiful cinematagraphy.

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razvan p

@n1mr0d Apr 5, 2023

incomplete humans trying to become whole

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Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson

Director

Birgir Dagur Bjarkason

Addi

Áskell Einar Pálmason

Balli

Viktor Benóný Benediktsson

Konni

Snorri Rafn Frímannsson

Siggi

Anita Briem

Guðrún

Beautiful Beings: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Addi, a boy raised by a clairvoyant mother, decides to adopt a bullied misfit into his gang of outsiders. Left to their own devices, the boys explore aggression and violence but also learn about loyalty and love. As the group's behavior escalates towards life-threatening situations, Addi begins to experience a series of dreamlike visions. Can his newfound intuition guide him and his friends back to a safer path, or will they dive irrevocably into further violence?

Director: Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson
Producer: Anton Máni Svansson
Distributor: Altered Innocence
Production Co: Bastide Films, Join Motion Pictures, Negativ, Hobab, Doco Digital, Film i Väst, Icelandic Film Center, Motor
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Icelandic
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 13, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 25, 2023
Runtime: 2h 3m

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