Overview
A mother's love turns toxic as her son yearns for freedom and connection.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- eerie
- oppressive
- unsettling
- late night viewing
- arthouse film night
What critics said
The available reception is favorable toward the film’s distinctive crocodile metaphor and unsettling portrayal of maternal overprotection.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mama isolates Johan at the crocodile farm and reacts intensely when he encounters life beyond her control.
The secluded crocodile farm reflects the film’s imagery of predation, confinement, and possessive attachment.
Johan’s first romantic attraction to Arumi becomes the catalyst for his movement away from maternal isolation.
The crocodile farm is both the family home and the physical boundary surrounding Johan’s upbringing.
Films like Crocodile Tears, and why
The Babadook
shared psychological domestic tension, maternal control, and unsettling parent child intimacy
Dogtooth
shared themes of parental isolation, coercive protection, and controlled coming of age
The Lodge
shared rural confinement, obsessive family dynamics, and slow-building psychological menace
Movie Details
- Director
- Tumpal Tampubolon
- Release Date
- 2026-02-26
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (3)
Cast
- Yusuf Mahardika
- Marissa Anita
- Zulfa Maharani
- Agnes Naomi Shivapriya
- Ravi Septrian
- Kaan Lativan
- Ego Heriyanto
- Sheila Miranda Bell
- Vivi Afriyani
- Riken Pramiswari
Common questions
- What is Crocodile Tears about?
- A sheltered young man’s first taste of romance destabilizes the possessive mother who has made a crocodile farm his entire world.
- What is Crocodile Tears like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Crocodile Tears as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Crocodile Tears violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Crocodile Tears.
- What did critics think of Crocodile Tears?
- The available reception is favorable toward the film’s distinctive crocodile metaphor and unsettling portrayal of maternal overprotection.
- Which films are like Crocodile Tears?
- Films with a similar feel include The Babadook, Dogtooth, and The Lodge.
- How long is Crocodile Tears?
- Crocodile Tears runs 98 minutes.
