Pearl
A farmbound young woman’s dream of becoming a star mutates into a vivid, operatic nightmare of isolation and violence.
Overview
A young woman's desperate quest for fame leads her down a dark path of madness and horror.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- eerie
- theatrical
- grotesque
- halloween night
- double feature with x
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Ti West's stylish period horror, Mia Goth's grandiose performance, and the film's clever expansion of the world established by X.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The farm, costumes, performances, and bloodshed are rendered in vivid, stylized colors that contrast with Pearl's psychological collapse.
Pearl's desperate pursuit of stardom drives her attempts to escape farm drudgery and increasingly violent isolation.
Pearl is confined to an isolated Texas farm, caring for her dependent father under her mother's authoritarian control.
Pearl's extended confession to the projectionist turns direct speech into a sustained revelation of desire, resentment, and desperation.
Films like Pearl, and why
The Shining
Shared psychological horror, female psychological unraveling, stylized period setting, and a commanding lead performance.
Black Swan
Shared slow-burn horror, isolation, obsessive ambition, and intense character-centered descent into violence.
X
Shared retro visual style, rural isolation, slasher violence, and a woman trapped by oppressive domestic circumstances.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Shared grotesque rural horror, social confinement, disturbing family dynamics, and heightened visual design.
Movie Details
- Director
- Ti West
- Release Date
- 2022-09-16
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (2765)
Cast
- Mia Goth
- David Corenswet
- Tandi Wright
- Matthew Sunderland
- Emma Jenkins-Purro
- Alistair Sewell
- Amelia Reid
- Gabe McDonnell
- Lauren Stewart
- Todd Rippon
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- 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 Pearl about?
- A farmbound young woman’s dream of becoming a star mutates into a vivid, operatic nightmare of isolation and violence.
- What is Pearl like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Pearl as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Pearl violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Pearl as graphic.
- What did critics think of Pearl?
- Critics broadly praised Ti West's stylish period horror, Mia Goth's grandiose performance, and the film's clever expansion of the world established by X.
- Which films are like Pearl?
- Films with a similar feel include The Shining, Black Swan, X, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
- How long is Pearl?
- Pearl runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch Pearl?
- In United States, Pearl streams on Hulu, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
