Yet another movie I can't identify, but you can help!
July 19, 2017 9:32 AM   Subscribe

A year or so ago, I saw a movie that was a psychological mystery/thriller in the vein of Circle, Cube, or Exam, or at least that's how I think of it. Needless to say, I can't remember the title of the movie, but I can remember a few details, which are inside. (Possible spoilers, if you care about that sort of thing.)

So here are the details I (think) I remember. I may be conflating certain details from this movie with Triangle, though:

A sort of nebbishy guy, probably in his mid-30s, finds himself in a place that appears to be some sort of institution. (In my mind's eye, I see him as Steven Furst, although it's definitely not Steven Furst, who was in his 50s or 60s when this picture was made). There's some sort of Nurse Rached-y woman who's doing intake or something.

Eventually, he gets moved to a room that looks like a classroom, where he's sitting with a group of people. I think they idea was that they were all supposed to confess about bad things they did. He keeps insisting that he doesn't belong there and that he didn't do anything wrong. Sometime soon after, he leaves the classroom and is standing in a hall, where he meets a woman. I think they eventually team up to escape, and I seem to recall a scene where he climbs out a grate in the ceiling, maybe? Anyway, he eventually gets out and winds up, I think, in a park. This is the part I think I may be conflating with Triangle: I think it ultimately develops that he's killed a child? Maybe his own child?

The movie was in English, but wasn't a British picture; it was either a US or Canadian release.

Does this ring any bells?
posted by holborne to Media & Arts (18 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Was it The Lobster? Here's the trailer.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:23 AM on July 19, 2017


It's a little like The Killing Room but it's not a great fit.
posted by curious_yellow at 10:25 AM on July 19, 2017


Response by poster: Neither of those, sadly. But I never wanted to see The Lobster because I took an online quiz to tell which animal you would morph into and I got tardigrade, which depressed me.
posted by holborne at 10:38 AM on July 19, 2017


A Cure for Wellness?? Maybe?
posted by all about eevee at 10:56 AM on July 19, 2017


It's not The Island is it? I only watched this the other night for the first time, and then only about half of it, but it sounds pretty similar in some plot points.
posted by kumonoi at 11:09 AM on July 19, 2017 [1 favorite]


I'm going to second Cure for Wellness - I haven't seen it but from reading the plot descriptions it sounds similar. Do you remember whether there were eels?
posted by orrnyereg at 11:10 AM on July 19, 2017


Perhaps Shutter Island ?
posted by k5.user at 11:45 AM on July 19, 2017


Can you recall anything about the look of the film? Lighting, colors, costumes?
posted by adiabatic at 11:47 AM on July 19, 2017


Hmm, Stonehearst Asylum?
posted by Green With You at 11:54 AM on July 19, 2017


Brought to mind The Island for me too.
posted by Iteki at 11:59 AM on July 19, 2017


Response by poster: I'm 99% percent sure it's not A Cure for Wellness. That picture has a lot of people in it I'm familiar with, like Jason Isaacs and Carl Lumbly, and I'd remember if they were in the picture I saw. Also the plot doesn't sound quite right to me. Same with Stonehurst Asylum, The Island, and Shutter Island; those both have a ton of famous people who I'd remember, and I'm almost positive that the movie I saw doesn't have any big name actors at all. Certainly not along the lines of a Scarlett Johansson.

Can you recall anything about the look of the film? Lighting, colors, costumes?

As best I can recall, the opening sequence with the Nurse Rached-y woman was sort of monochromatic and bleak looking. Not filmed in black and white, I don't think, but washed out in the way some black and white pictures are. I think it reminded me a little of Brazil -- that sort of look. The costumes, to the best of my recollection, were just standard early 21st-century shirts and jeans sort of stuff -- nothing really notable that I remember.
posted by holborne at 12:04 PM on July 19, 2017


Cypher?
posted by heatvision at 12:05 PM on July 19, 2017


Response by poster: Oh, and I don't remember eels, for sure. I would probably remember eels.
posted by holborne at 12:05 PM on July 19, 2017


Response by poster: Not Cypher. This wasn't about corporate espionage, for sure, and also I would definitely remember Jeremy Northam.
posted by holborne at 12:10 PM on July 19, 2017


Who wouldn't remember Jeremy Northam? Rowr!

Could the movie be Sublime?
posted by orrnyereg at 12:44 PM on July 19, 2017


Best answer: Cruel and Unusual (2014)
posted by smidgen at 3:22 PM on July 19, 2017 [1 favorite]


Old boy? There's an english and korean version.
posted by forforf at 4:43 PM on July 19, 2017


Response by poster: smidgen, that's definitely it! Thank you so much! Whew, now I can sleep.

I see I got a major detail wrong, and I was right that I was conflating that detail with Triangle. (He killed someone, but it wasn't his kid.) Anyway.
posted by holborne at 8:03 PM on July 19, 2017


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