Overview
A haunting tale of a stranger who disrupts a seemingly perfect family, revealing their darkest secrets.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Dense
- Violence
- Moderate
- eerie
- surreal
- sardonic
- late night arthouse viewing
- halloween cinema marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Borgman as a refreshingly original, unpredictable experiment in off-kilter terror, while acknowledging that its ambiguity can confound viewers.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Camiel arrives at Marina and Richard's designer home, gradually installing himself within their family and undermining their control.
Hallucinogenic elements, dream intrusions, sinister garden flashes, and shifting victim-aggressor roles destabilize the audience's perception.
Richard's casual racism, Marina's self-absorption, and the family's expansive home become targets of the film's unsettling critique.
A braying dog accompanies the armed hunters, while large dogs roam casually through the suburban house.
Films like Borgman, and why
Funny Games
off-kilter suburban horror, enigmatic intruder, and destabilized perceptions
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
surreal domestic menace, dark humor, and bourgeois family unease
The House That Jack Built
ambiguous supernatural threat, dreamlike dread, and unsettling family dynamics
The Bothersome Man
absurdist European mystery, alienated characters, and ominous tonal shifts
Movie Details
- Director
- Alex van Warmerdam
- Release Date
- 2013-08-29
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (367)
Cast
- Jan Bijvoet
- Hadewych Minis
- Jeroen Perceval
- Alex van Warmerdam
- Tom Dewispelaere
- Sara Hjort Ditlevsen
- Dirkje van der Pijl
- Annet Malherbe
- Eva van de Wijdeven
- Pieter-Bas de Waard
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Fandor, OVID
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Borgman about?
- An enigmatic vagrant infiltrates a privileged family’s home, turning suburban order into a surreal nightmare of manipulation and moral decay.
- What is Borgman like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Borgman as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as dense.
- Is Borgman violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Borgman as moderate.
- What did critics think of Borgman?
- Critics broadly praised Borgman as a refreshingly original, unpredictable experiment in off-kilter terror, while acknowledging that its ambiguity can confound viewers.
- Which films are like Borgman?
- Films with a similar feel include Funny Games, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The House That Jack Built, and The Bothersome Man.
- How long is Borgman?
- Borgman runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch Borgman?
- In United States, Borgman streams on Fandor, OVID.
