Overview
A gripping tale of infiltration and moral conflict unfolds as an operative navigates a world of eco-terrorism.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- thoughtful
- paranoid
- political thriller night
- indie film evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film tense, thoughtful, humanistic, and deftly paced, while noting that its intrigue loses momentum and dramatic logic in the second half.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sarah enters the anarchist group as an undercover operative while the audience tracks her growing personal and ideological entanglement.
The East's covert attacks target corporations accused of environmental harm, forcing Sarah to weigh institutional law against activist justice.
The plot joins environmentalism, corporate wrongdoing, secret organizations, and espionage in a contemporary American setting.
Sarah is drawn toward the group's close-knit sense of purpose even as its covert attacks create escalating personal and professional danger.
Films like The East, and why
The Parallax View
shares political espionage, paranoia, corporate conspiracy, and social-conscience thriller elements
The Company You Keep
shares activist radicalism, moral ambiguity, and tense infiltration of an ideological group
Night Moves
shares environmental activism, covert operations, and conflicted political commitment
Michael Clayton
shares corporate wrongdoing, political suspense, and a protagonist morally transformed by the investigation
Movie Details
- Director
- Zal Batmanglij
- Release Date
- 2013-05-31
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (891)
Cast
- Brit Marling
- Alexander Skarsgård
- Elliot Page
- Toby Kebbell
- Shiloh Fernandez
- Aldis Hodge
- Danielle Macdonald
- Hillary Baack
- Patricia Clarkson
- Jason Ritter
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Cinemax Amazon Channel, Cinemax Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The East about?
- An elite operative infiltrates an anarchist cell targeting corporations, only to find her loyalties reshaped by its dangerous environmental crusade.
- What is The East like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The East as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The East violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The East as moderate.
- What did critics think of The East?
- Critics broadly found the film tense, thoughtful, humanistic, and deftly paced, while noting that its intrigue loses momentum and dramatic logic in the second half.
- Which films are like The East?
- Films with a similar feel include The Parallax View, The Company You Keep, Night Moves, and Michael Clayton.
- How long is The East?
- The East runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch The East?
- In United States, The East streams on Cinemax Amazon Channel, Cinemax Apple TV channel.
