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The Childhood of a Leader

Play trailer 2:04 Poster for The Childhood of a Leader 2016 1h 55m Mystery & Thriller History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 67 Reviews 54% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
The childhood of a post-World War I leader.
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The Childhood of a Leader

The Childhood of a Leader

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Critics Consensus

The Childhood of a Leader mirrors the rise of fascism in post-WWI Europe with a well-acted, confidently crafted look at one young man's unsettling coming of age.

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Critics Reviews

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Alexandra Heller-Nicholas The Blue Lenses 08/25/2018
While a more allegorical approach may have provided a shallower sense of satisfaction, it is the deliberate ambiguities of Childhood of a Leader that house its lasting, more enduring and inescapably disturbing impact. Go to Full Review David Stratton The Australian 03/17/2017
2.5/5
The problem with the film is that it promises more than it delivers. Go to Full Review Kate Muir The Times (UK) 10/10/2016
4/5
The Childhood of a Leader signals a fascinating new talent in art cinema: the actor Brady Corbet. Go to Full Review Q.V. Hough Vague Visages 02/20/2022
The Childhood of a Leader may not behold a traditional narrative, yet Corbet's auterist style creates a memorable visceral effect. Go to Full Review Tony Black Cultural Conversation 01/31/2021
3/5
One almost senses after watching Brady Corbet's film that to ignore its warnings could be to our peril. Go to Full Review Dustin Chang ScreenAnarchy 07/17/2020
The Childhood of a Leader owes big to its young star Tom Sweet. As a wide eyed, bratty kid, his brave performance alone will cause a string of nature vs nurture debates... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Beks C @beks22 Mar 8 Perfect, nuanced performances by the entire cast. The cinematography and editing choices are brilliant. Incredible performance by a child actor (Tom Sweet). See more Nicola B @Nikkyb Dec 2 Absolutely extraordinary. Subtlety that plays on the imagination. See more Tina B @RT29694664 02/01/2025 I wonder at what point during the filming, did any of the crew think, " this is absolute pretensious nonsense" The kis walks around the house, learning French sometimes. They talk French and English in the dark, then it ends. Terrible. Good grief See more Dani G @RT81139271 03/24/2024 Classic example of a movie with good production design and good production values in general, but a very little engaging story. See more Gareth v @geewah 06/22/2023 The story of how an entitled boy turns into a facist. Despite having a number of flat spots the story is compelling enough. See more Jerod S @jeroduptown 01/29/2022 This kid's childhood sucks - but the movie sucks even worse. I get it, its a deep dive drama into the psyche of a fascist leader. Also doubles as a sleeping pill. See more Read all reviews
The Childhood of a Leader

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Cast & Crew

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Brady Corbet

Director

Robert Pattinson

Charles Marker

Liam Cunningham

The Father

Stacy Martin

Ada

Bérénice Bejo

The Mother

Sophie Lane Curtis

Actor

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The Childhood of a Leader

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The Childhood of a Leader

The Childhood of a Leader (2015) The Childhood of a Leader (2015) The Childhood of a Leader (2015) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The childhood of a post-World War I leader.
Director
Brady Corbet
Producer
Chris Coen, Brady Corbet, Helena Danielsson, Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre
Screenwriter
Brady Corbet
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Filmteam, Hepp Film, Bow and Arrow Entertainment
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 22, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 22, 2016
Runtime
1h 55m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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