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Son of Saul

2015·Movie
1h 47min·R
83
GreatGoodWatch score

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No stream option in US yet.

Son of Saul fingerprint

Stunning style, high energy, no humor.

Energy

Nerve-racking and violent

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension9
  • Violence8
  • Scare7

Heart

Deeply moving and profoundly sad

  • Pathos10
  • Melancholy9
  • Catharsis7

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Dark Humor3
  • Wit & Wordplay1
  • Absurdist Humor1

World

History, war, and society

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion10
  • Dialogue Centrality7
  • Novelty7

Craft

Standout direction, performances, and characters

Layered plot that rewards full attention.

  • Direction9
  • Acting9
  • Character Depth9

Style

Standout cinematography, score, and editing

  • Cinematography9
  • Music Composition9
  • Music Centrality9

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightSolo WatchThought-Provoking

Skip it if

You need an uplifting moodYou want fast pacingYou want to half-watch while scrollingGraphic violence bothers you

Find more like it

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

About

In the horror of 1944 Auschwitz, a prisoner forced to burn the corpses of his own people finds moral survival trying to save from the flames the body of a boy he takes for his son, seeking to give him a proper Jewish burial.
Holocaust DramaMoral SurvivalAuschwitzHistorical TraumaBleakIntenseThought-ProvokingVisceralGrief and Loss

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Son of Saul

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Son of Saul legally?

You can rent or buy it from Apple TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Google Play Movies. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is Son of Saul worth watching?

83
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes. It's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 84/100 (IMDb 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes 96%, and Metacritic 91). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Son of Saul rated?

RViolenceDisturbing imagery

It's rated R in the United States. Content advisories: violence and disturbing imagery.

How long is Son of Saul?

1 h 47 min

Son of Saul runs 1 h 47 min.

Do critics and audiences agree on Son of Saul?

Critics94
Audiences75

Not quite. Critics rate Son of Saul higher (94) than audiences (75). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

Was Son of Saul a box office hit?

Budget$1 million
Box office$2 million

Roughly broke even. It cost about $1 million to make and earned $2 million worldwide, 1.8 times its budget.

What language is Son of Saul in?

HungarianGermanGreekHebrewPolishRussianSlovakYiddish

It was made in Hungarian, with some German, Greek, Hebrew, Polish, Russian, Slovak, Yiddish. Produced in Hungary.

In how many countries can I watch Son of Saul?

56AGARATAUBBBEBOBRBSBZCACHCLCO+42

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for Son of Saul in 56 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does Son of Saul use?

Gory Discretion ShotShown Their WorkThrough the Eyes of MadnessContrived CoincidenceAmbiguous SituationFather's QuestGas ChamberHope SpotCrapsack WorldShoot the Shaggy DogExtremely Short TimespanDowner Beginningand 12 more

TV Tropes lists 24 storytelling tropes for Son of Saul, including Gory Discretion Shot, Shown Their Work, Through the Eyes of Madness.