Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- sardonic
- ominous
- claustrophobic
- focused movie night
- dark rainy evening
What critics said
Critics generally found the chamber piece intriguing and sharply written, with strong verbal sparring and performances, but considered it coarse, obvious, and less suspenseful than the original.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Andrew's high-tech mansion is the sole primary arena, with its architecture, surveillance, and staged spaces enabling the contest between him and Milo.
Milo is an aspiring actor, both men perform calculated roles, and the plot repeatedly makes acting itself part of the deception.
Wyke's wealth and age confront Milo's youth, charm, and relationship with Maggie in a rivalry charged by jealousy and ambiguous attraction.
The stark, ultra-modern mansion and its high-tech features create a darker, more claustrophobic atmosphere than a traditional country-house setting.
Films like Sleuth, and why
The Servant
Contained psychological gamesmanship, verbal sparring, and escalating deception between two adversaries
The Lighthouse
A claustrophobic two-hander driven by shifting power, identity performance, and unreliable social manipulation
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Stylized cat-and-mouse suspense centered on manipulation, class tension, and morally corrosive rivalry
Carnage
Adapted-play chamber drama using sharp dialogue, theatrical performance, and interpersonal deception
Movie Details
- Director
- Kenneth Branagh
- Release Date
- 2007-10-12
- Runtime
- 89 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (604)
Cast
- Michael Caine
- Jude Law
- Harold Pinter
- Carmel O'Sullivan
- Kenneth Branagh
Where to watch in United States
- 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 Sleuth about?
- A wealthy author and his wife’s ambitious young lover turn a country-house visit into an intensely theatrical contest of deception, revenge, and shifting power.
- What is Sleuth like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Sleuth as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Sleuth violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Sleuth as mild.
- What did critics think of Sleuth?
- Critics generally found the chamber piece intriguing and sharply written, with strong verbal sparring and performances, but considered it coarse, obvious, and less suspenseful than the original.
- Which films are like Sleuth?
- Films with a similar feel include The Servant, The Lighthouse, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Carnage.
- How long is Sleuth?
- Sleuth runs 89 minutes.
- Where can I watch Sleuth?
- In United States, Sleuth is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
