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Kalifornia
1993 118 min United States of America R 16+
★6.5
Thriller, Crime
Director: Dominic Sena
Trailers
Description
A journalist duo go on a tour of serial killer murder sites with two companions, unaware that one of them is a serial killer himself.
Budget:
$9M
US Gross:
$2.4M
Worldwide:
$2.4M
Starring
Brad Pitt
Actor
Juliette Lewis
Actor
Kathy Larson
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 1994
— Best Actress
Saturn Awards 1994
— Best Horror Film
Saturn Awards 1994
— Best Screenplay
Key opinion
Kalifornia is widely regarded as a solid, atmospheric thriller elevated significantly by the performances of Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis. While the central dynamic between the traveling couples creates palpable tension, critics are divided over the film's uneven pacing and the perceived flatness of the lead journalist character played by David Duchovny.
| Acting | Brad Pitt delivers a physically transformative and chilling portrayal of a psychopathic killer that serves as the film's anchor. | |
| Acting | Juliette Lewis is widely praised for her authentic and vulnerable performance as the naive, trauma-surviving girlfriend. | |
| Acting | David Duchovny and Michelle Forbes are frequently criticized for delivering flat, uninspired, or unconvincing performances that fail to elevate their characters. | |
| Direction | The film is a competent and effective suspense-thriller that manages to maintain tension, particularly in the interaction between the two disparate couples. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is divisive, with some viewers appreciating the slow-burn character study of the first half, while others find the narrative drags or lacks a cohesive build-up. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is considered underdeveloped, with many critics pointing to thin character backstories and a lack of logical closure regarding the antagonist's motivations. |