Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- brooding
- disturbing
- serious
- true crime viewing
- serious drama night
What critics said
Critics welcomed the film's female-centered perspective on the Manson case but broadly found its psychological treatment insufficiently deep.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The story centers Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Susan Atkins rather than treating Charles Manson as the sole subject.
The women's transformation under Manson's control is the central psychological conflict.
Graduate student Karlene Faith teaches the imprisoned women as they begin facing the reality of their crimes.
The film approaches the Manson murders through the women's prison transformations and a corrective educational perspective.
Films like Charlie Says, and why
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
shared biographical crime drama, infamous real-world perpetrators, and interest in psychological indoctrination
Monster
shared focus on female perpetrators, prison life, and the psychological consequences of notorious crimes
The Stanford Prison Experiment
shared true-crime subject matter, institutional analysis, and morally unsettling character study
Movie Details
- Director
- Mary Harron
- Release Date
- 2019-05-10
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (246)
Cast
- Hannah Murray
- Sosie Bacon
- Marianne Rendón
- Merritt Wever
- Matt Smith
- Suki Waterhouse
- Chace Crawford
- Annabeth Gish
- Kayli Carter
- Cameron Gellman
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, 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 Charlie Says about?
- A prison educator challenges three Manson followers to confront the indoctrination and horrific crimes that shaped their lives.
- What is Charlie Says like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Charlie Says as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Charlie Says violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Charlie Says as graphic.
- What did critics think of Charlie Says?
- Critics welcomed the film's female-centered perspective on the Manson case but broadly found its psychological treatment insufficiently deep.
- Which films are like Charlie Says?
- Films with a similar feel include Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, Monster, and The Stanford Prison Experiment.
- How long is Charlie Says?
- Charlie Says runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch Charlie Says?
- In United States, Charlie Says streams on Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now.
