Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- surreal
- macabre
- sadistic
- late night horror viewing
- arthouse thriller night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film stylish and unpredictably macabre, powered by gripping lead performances despite limited substance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jackie refuses the expected prostitute-as-victim role and repeatedly destabilizes Reed's plan to control the encounter.
Reed's upscale hotel setting and carefully staged murder preparations contrast sharply with the film's macabre subject matter.
Reed's interpretations of Jackie, the diary-like material, hallucinations, and shifting intentions make the cat-and-mouse roles persistently unclear.
The murderous hotel rendezvous is presented with surreal turns and dark comic friction alongside explicit psychological menace.
Films like Piercing, and why
The House That Jack Built
shared sadistic psychological tension, sexual danger, and unpredictable cat-and-mouse dynamics
The Neon Demon
shared erotic thriller atmosphere, shifting power between dangerous strangers, and stylized macabre violence
Killing of a Sacred Deer
shared darkly comic horror, unstable identities, and escalating psychological manipulation
Movie Details
- Director
- Nicolas Pesce
- Release Date
- 2019-01-03
- Runtime
- 82 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (262)
Cast
- Christopher Abbott
- Mia Wasikowska
- Laia Costa
- Maria Dizzia
- Marin Ireland
- Wendell Pierce
- Will Brill
- Paul Nazak
- Olivia Bond
- Dakota Lustick
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 Piercing about?
- A meticulous would-be killer’s hotel rendezvous with a prostitute becomes a surreal contest over who is manipulating whom.
- What is Piercing like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Piercing as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Piercing violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Piercing as graphic.
- What did critics think of Piercing?
- Critics broadly found the film stylish and unpredictably macabre, powered by gripping lead performances despite limited substance.
- Which films are like Piercing?
- Films with a similar feel include The House That Jack Built, The Neon Demon, and Killing of a Sacred Deer.
- How long is Piercing?
- Piercing runs 82 minutes.
- Where can I watch Piercing?
- In United States, Piercing is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
