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Cruel Joys

2002·Movie
1h 44min

Where to watch

No stream option in US yet.

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

What's your score?

Your score

Cruel Joys fingerprint

Strong craft, a touch of humor.

Energy

Tense

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension7
  • Violence4
  • Fast Pace3

Heart

Deeply moving and melancholic

Much of it is about family and growing up.

  • Pathos9
  • Family Dynamics9
  • Melancholy8

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay3
  • Dark Humor3
  • Situational Comedy2

World

Family, the mind, and history

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion8
  • Dialogue Centrality7
  • Rewatchability5

Craft

Standout performances, characters, and direction

  • Acting9
  • Character Depth9
  • Direction8

Style

Standout cinematography

  • Cinematography8
  • Music Composition7
  • Editing6

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightPartner WatchSolo WatchThought-Provoking

Skip it if

You want fast pacing

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Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

This simple story is the feature debut for well-known Slovak theater and television director Juraj Nvota. Set in a Slovak village at the turn of the last century, the story teems with passion, and repressed and hidden emotion. It delves into the search for identity, investigating both love and hatred, while dramatizing the tragic relationship between an adolescent girl (Tatiana Pauhofová) and her ambitious father (Ondrej Vetchý). Set against the striking though simple backdrop of a picturesque, even idyllic, landscape - one ostensibly cut off from any important historical, political, or social context whatsoever - the arrival of an unwanted individual evokes the onset of a cruel drama.
Slovak Rural DramaHistorical Period PieceIntense Family DramaRepressed EmotionsComing-of-Age TragedyPsychological DepthPicturesque SettingSlow-Burn NarrativeHuman Condition

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Cruel Joys

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Cruel Joys legally?

GoodWatch doesn't know of a legal streaming option for Cruel Joys in the United States right now. Pick another country in the Where to Watch section to check elsewhere.

Is Cruel Joys worth watching?

67
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 68/100 (IMDb 7.1). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Cruel Joys rated?

Disturbing imagery

Content advisories: disturbing imagery.

How long is Cruel Joys?

1 h 44 min

Cruel Joys runs 1 h 44 min.

What language is Cruel Joys in?

SlovakCzech

It was made in Slovak, with some Czech. Produced in Czechia, Slovakia.

In how many countries can I watch Cruel Joys?

2CZSK

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for Cruel Joys in 2 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.