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Fateless

2005·Movie
2h 20min
79
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.0Metacritic875.1Rotten Tomatoes95%83%
IMDb7.0Metacritic875.1Rotten Tomatoes95%83%

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Fateless fingerprint

High energy, immersive world, no humor.

Energy

Tense and violent

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension8
  • Violence7
  • Adrenaline4

Heart

Deeply moving and profoundly sad

Much of it is about growing up.

  • Pathos10
  • Melancholy9
  • Coming of Age9

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay3
  • Dark Humor1
  • Situational Comedy0

World

History, a real life story, and growing up

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion9
  • Dialogue Centrality8
  • Rewatchability7

Craft

Standout characters, direction, and performances

  • Character Depth10
  • Direction9
  • Acting9

Style

Standout cinematography, editing, and score

A distinctive visual signature.

  • Cinematography10
  • Editing8
  • Music Composition8

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightIntergenerationalPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchThought-Provoking

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You need an uplifting moodYou want fast pacing

Find more like it

Suspense moviesPsychological moviesMelancholic moviesAtmospheric movies

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

About

You can close your eyes. You can turn away. But you will never forget.

A Hungarian youth comes of age at Buchenwald during World War II. György Köves is 14, the son of a merchant who's sent to a forced labor camp. After his father's departure, György gets a job at a brickyard; his bus is stopped and its Jewish occupants sent to camps. There, György find camaraderie, suffering, cruelty, illness, and death. He hears advice on preserving one's dignity and self-esteem. He discovers hatred. If he does survive and returns to Budapest, what will he find? What is natural; what is it to be a Jew? Sepia, black and white, and color alternate to shade the mood.
Holocaust DramaComing-of-Age TragedyPhilosophical ReflectionVisually EvocativeHistorical TraumaPsychological JourneyDignity in DespairHungarian CinemaExistential QuestionsLiterary Adaptation

Crew

Directed by:
Lajos Koltai, Lang Szabolcs, Zoltán Bonta
Written by:
Imre Kertész, Imre Kertész, Imre Kertész
Produced by:
Bernd Helthaler, Tibor Krsko, László Vincze
Composed by:
Ennio Morricone, Ennio Morricone, Ennio Morricone

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Fateless

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is Fateless worth watching?

79
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes. It's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 80/100 (IMDb 7, Rotten Tomatoes 95%, and Metacritic 87). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Fateless rated?

ViolenceDisturbing imagerySuicide themes

Content advisories: violence, disturbing imagery, and suicide themes.

How long is Fateless?

2 h 20 min

Fateless runs 2 h 20 min.

Is Fateless based on a true story?

Yes. It's based on real events or a real person's life.

Do critics and audiences agree on Fateless?

Critics91
Audiences68

Not quite. Critics rate Fateless higher (91) than audiences (68). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

Was Fateless a box office hit?

Budget$250,000
Box office$3 million

Yes, a big one. It cost about $250,000 to make and earned $3 million worldwide, 10.0 times its budget.

What language is Fateless in?

HungarianEnglishHebrewYiddishGermanPolish

It was made in Hungarian, with some English, Hebrew, Yiddish, German, Polish. Produced in Germany, United Kingdom, Hungary, Austria.