Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- awkward
- irreverent
- indie movie night
- road trip double feature
What critics said
Critics generally found the film slight and unpolished but praised Sebastián Silva’s assured direction and the committed performances of Michael Cera and Gaby Hoffmann.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jamie repeatedly creates chaos through boorish, insensitive behavior during the Chilean road trip.
The journey culminates in drinking a San Pedro cactus brew, after which Jamie’s assumptions and relationships are transformed.
Jamie and Crystal Fairy are forced to share a remote journey despite clashing temperaments and values.
The film moves from parties and cramped travel situations to a pristine beach at the edge of the Chilean desert, where new age ritual becomes central.
Films like Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus, and why
The Trip
improvised-feeling road comedy, abrasive friendship dynamics, and drug-fueled self-discovery
Y tu mamá también
awkward young-adult travel, emotionally volatile companionship, and countercultural comedy
A Bigger Splash
sunlit international journey combining deadpan humor, interpersonal friction, and altered-state introspection
Movie Details
- Director
- Sebastián Silva
- Release Date
- 2013-07-12
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (175)
Cast
- Michael Cera
- Gaby Hoffmann
- Juan Andrés Silva
- José Miguel Silva
- Agustín Silva
- Sebastián Silva
- Manuela Baldovino
- Gepe
- Esteban Carreno
- Juan Carlos Lara
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, Sundance Now
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Pijama Films
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus about?
- An abrasive American traveler’s Chilean cactus pilgrimage turns into a prickly, hallucinatory collision with an eccentric new age free spirit.
- What is Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus.
- What did critics think of Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus?
- Critics generally found the film slight and unpolished but praised Sebastián Silva’s assured direction and the committed performances of Michael Cera and Gaby Hoffmann.
- Which films are like Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus?
- Films with a similar feel include The Trip, Y tu mamá también, and A Bigger Splash.
- How long is Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus?
- Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus runs 99 minutes.
- Where can I watch Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus?
- In United States, Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus streams on Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, Sundance Now.
