Overview
A meticulous taxidermist's life spirals into chaos when he stumbles upon a deadly secret.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- brooding
- cerebral
- anxious
- late night thriller viewing
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an original, cerebral, suspenseful neo-noir with a rich atmosphere and a strong lead performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Esteban's taxidermist precision and imagined perfect heist shape his response to an unexpected real crime.
The film uses rural isolation, subdued suspense, and Esteban's detached psychology to create an anxious neo-noir atmosphere.
Esteban's epilepsy is a defining fact of his character and informs the film's attention to consciousness and control.
The forest cabin and surrounding wilderness separate Esteban from Buenos Aires and draw him into the armored-truck scheme.
Films like The Aura, and why
Nine Queens
shared cerebral neo-noir atmosphere, morally compromised protagonist, and meticulously constructed criminal scheme
The Vanishing
shared existential crime tension, rural isolation, and psychologically driven neo-noir storytelling
Blood Simple
shared slow-burn noir suspense, accidental criminal entanglement, and bleakly ambiguous morality
The Secret in Their Eyes
shared Argentine crime sensibility, intricate deception, and cerebral thriller construction
Movie Details
- Director
- Fabián Bielinsky
- Release Date
- 2005-09-15
- Runtime
- 134 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (242)
Cast
- Ricardo Darín
- Dolores Fonzi
- Pablo Cedrón
- Nahuel Pérez Biscayart
- Jorge D'Elía
- Alejandro Awada
- Rafa Castejón
- Manuel Rodal
- Walter Reyno
- Alejandro Gancé
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Aura about?
- An obsessive taxidermist stumbles into a real armored-truck robbery and sees a chance to turn his imagined perfect crime into reality.
- What is The Aura like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Aura as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Aura violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Aura as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Aura?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an original, cerebral, suspenseful neo-noir with a rich atmosphere and a strong lead performance.
- Which films are like The Aura?
- Films with a similar feel include Nine Queens, The Vanishing, Blood Simple, and The Secret in Their Eyes.
- How long is The Aura?
- The Aura runs 134 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Aura?
- In United States, The Aura is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.
