Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- disturbing
- paranoid
- bleak
- late night horror marathon
- independent horror night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Alex Essoe's breakout performance and the film's original, unsettling critique of Hollywood exploitation, while finding its final stretch somewhat overcranked.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sarah's auditions and initiation expose fame-seeking as an exploitative bargain controlled by industry gatekeepers.
Sarah's deteriorating body externalizes the cosmetic nightmare of remaking herself for professional success.
Sarah's compulsive hair pulling and willingness to endure escalating degradation connect ambition with bodily punishment.
The casting process develops into a ritualized demand that Sarah die and be reborn for fame.
Films like Starry Eyes, and why
The Neon Demon
satirical Hollywood setting, occult initiation, and escalating psychological horror
Rosemary's Baby
ambitious young woman drawn into sinister elite circles and supernatural body horror
The Fly
grotesque transformation, identity anxiety, and visceral body horror
Black Swan
show-business desperation, bleak ambition, and exploitation of an aspiring performer
Movie Details
- Directors
- Dennis Widmyer, Kevin Kölsch
- Release Date
- 2014-07-29
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (529)
Cast
- Alex Essoe
- Amanda Fuller
- Fabianne Therese
- Noah Segan
- Shane Coffey
- Natalie Hauck
- Nick Simmons
- Pat Healy
- Louis Dezseran
- Maria Olsen
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Shudder, Bloodstream
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Starry Eyes about?
- An aspiring Los Angeles actress submits to a grotesque Hollywood initiation that turns ambition into supernatural body horror.
- What is Starry Eyes like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Starry Eyes as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Starry Eyes violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Starry Eyes as graphic.
- What did critics think of Starry Eyes?
- Critics broadly praised Alex Essoe's breakout performance and the film's original, unsettling critique of Hollywood exploitation, while finding its final stretch somewhat overcranked.
- Which films are like Starry Eyes?
- Films with a similar feel include The Neon Demon, Rosemary's Baby, The Fly, and Black Swan.
- How long is Starry Eyes?
- Starry Eyes runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Starry Eyes?
- In United States, Starry Eyes streams on Philo, Shudder, Bloodstream.
